Why Did Rwanda Genocide Happen
In 1994, from April until July, a mass slaughter of around 800,000 people occurred in Rwanda due to a variety of reasons. It was mainly two ethnic groups that were associated with this event, the Hutu and Tutsi. For many years these two groups lived with and among each other somewhat peacefully until tensions started to rise and major events broke out, which eventually led to The Rwandan Genocide. Rwanda, which has always been a poor country, lacked many resources and many people were extremely poor, and along with this they had a very hot climate, not a lot of waterways, and not a lot of sources for communication (Fisanick 47). As a result, the living conditions in Rwanda were never good and many people are desperate for resources and food/water
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One of these events include the Revolution of 1959. On November 1, 1959, a Hutu chief was attacked by Tutsis and was severely injured. The aftermath of this event included a lot of violence and conflict, and people were even killed because of this event. The Revolution of 1959 most likely later influenced these two groups to use violence against each other again. Another event to occur, maybe the most important factor that led to the murders and the event that sparked the violence was the murder of Rwandan president, Juvenal Habyarimana. Before his murder took place, there were political problems taking place before this event. The Rwandan Patriotic Front was a military group made up of over five thousand Tutsi soldiers who forced Juvenal Habyarimana to let them have power in the democracy, which he allowed (Middleton). This move by The Rwandan Patriotic Front angered many Hutus because Hutu people didn’t want Tutsi involved in the government (Middleton). Tensions started to rise and more conflicts occurred until April 6, 1994, when the violence absolutely erupted. On this day, Juvenal Habyarimana was returning from another country back to Rwanda when his plane was shot down by Tutsi people. Shortly after this event, murders and killings were occurring in the country and havoc broke out on the streets. If this event hadn’t occurred, it is not certain that a Genocide would have torn Rwanda apart. This murder was the spark and main cause of this horrible event that lasted three
One of these events include the Revolution of 1959. On November 1, 1959, a Hutu chief was attacked by Tutsis and was severely injured. The aftermath of this event included a lot of violence and conflict, and people were even killed because of this event. The Revolution of 1959 most likely later influenced these two groups to use violence against each other again. Another event to occur, maybe the most important factor that led to the murders and the event that sparked the violence was the murder of Rwandan president, Juvenal Habyarimana. Before his murder took place, there were political problems taking place before this event. The Rwandan Patriotic Front was a military group made up of over five thousand Tutsi soldiers who forced Juvenal Habyarimana to let them have power in the democracy, which he allowed (Middleton). This move by The Rwandan Patriotic Front angered many Hutus because Hutu people didn’t want Tutsi involved in the government (Middleton). Tensions started to rise and more conflicts occurred until April 6, 1994, when the violence absolutely erupted. On this day, Juvenal Habyarimana was returning from another country back to Rwanda when his plane was shot down by Tutsi people. Shortly after this event, murders and killings were occurring in the country and havoc broke out on the streets. If this event hadn’t occurred, it is not certain that a Genocide would have torn Rwanda apart. This murder was the spark and main cause of this horrible event that lasted three