The Republic Of Rwand A Nation Of Middle East Africa

The socio/cultural cause of the genocide in Rwanda came from the German and Belgian colonization, bringing along with them an idea of social science. Both colonial powers reinforced the Tutsi’s political power, which further oppressed the Hutus. This reinforcement caused the Hutus to envy the Tutsi’s aristocracy because they were privileged to all things, while the Hutus were privileged to nothing (Kapuscinski). This oppression led to many Hutu revolutions that the Hutus were successful in over the unprepared Tutsis. These victories of the Tutsis incidentally reversed the Rwandan apartheid system. The reversion of the system then gave

In chapter two of the order of genocide, the author, Scott Straus, evaluates the course of commentary on the Rwandan genocide, by exploring already existing literature by other authors that tries to elucidate the reasons that led to genocide in the first place.

This investigation studies two of the causes of the 1994 genocide of Rwanda. The two causes are examined in order to see to what extent each contributed to the genocide. The social and ethnic conflicts between two Rwandan groups called the Hutus and the Tutsis caused violent disputes and riots. The assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana is often thought of as the event that sparked the mass murders. Did the assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana influence the Rwandan genocide of 1994 more than the ongoing social and ethnic conflicts?

Under the power of Tutsi King Rwabugiri, ethnic differences were established when the King implemented a system in which, in return for labour, access to land was given. However, this system only applied to Hutu farmers and exempted Tutsi farmers (Eriksson, 1996). During the German colonization and later the Belgian trusteeship, the Tutsi were also favoured and viewed as superior (Eriksson, 1996). The Belgians increased the emphasis on the distinction of ethnic identity by issuing cards bearing the nationality designations of Rwandans (Klinghoffer, 1998). The colonisation by both Germany and Belgium contributed to an ethnic jealousy in Rwanda through treatment of the Tutsi (O’Halloran, 1995). The general decolonisation in Africa led to the Hutu revolution in which Rwanda underwent the transition from a Tutsi dominated monarchy to a Hutu led independent republic, which resulted in tens of thousands of Tutsi fleeing into exile (Eriksson, 1996).

Rwanda is a landlocked country located in east-central Africa, bordered by Lake Kivu, the highest lake in Africa. Its capital, Kigali, is located in the center of the country. Rwanda has lush vegetation and beautiful landscapes that have earned it the name “le pays de mille collines,” or land of a thousand hills. Though it is a small country, about the size of Maryland, it has a very rich and interesting history, having the highest number inhabitants. Though the country has had a long past of monarchies, it is currently a multiparty republic with two legislative houses.

In 1885, European superpowers got together to divide up the continent of Africa for the colonization of the countries. Among them, Belgium had received the country of Rwanda. The practice of colonialism was common during the time period as European nations feigned to extract natural resources from African countries which were seen as gold mines. Being outnumbered, the Belgians knew they would have to find ways to maintain power in Rwanda. In doing so, they implemented this by dividing the indigenous people of Rwanda through the means of hegemonic racism. Those with dark skin, wide noses, and short were labeled as Hutus, while those who fit the European ideal of beauty with a lighter skin tone, tall, and smaller noses were labeled as Tutsis. While Belgium held power over Rwanda, they deemed the Tutsis as the superior race despite them being the minority race and gave them positions of power over the Hutus. However, on November 1959 the Hutus formed a rebellion and gained independence from Belgium. The dynamics of the hierarchy of privilege quickly changed as the Hutus were on the top and the Tutsis became the oppressed and many fled the country. Although the dreadful reign of colonialism was over, it’s everlasting effects still haunted the country of Rwanda, which is prevalent in the film Hotel Rwanda that depicts the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. In the film Hotel Rwanda, social stratification, racism, and gift giving are heavily prevalent.

Due to the European power’s imperialism on Africa it had sparked many events leading to the genocide of Rwanda. The Belgium’s rule of Rwanda and the Belgium’s favoring the Tutsis over the Hutus because the Tutsis was more white caused tension between the two ethnic group which ultimate caused genocide to happen in Rwanda. The human rights that were violated during the genocide has greatly impacted the state of life the people of Rwanda will

Longman asks, “Why did loyalty to their church and to their fellow believers not prevent Catholics from killing fellow Catholics and Protestants from killing fellow Protestants?” (18). By looking at the Rwandan State and it’s declining economy, lack of resources, and social associations, one can see that it’s citizens needed a target. The Tutsi were a target, their scapegoat for years of conflict and suppression. Pope John

The Rwandan Genocide was one of the most horrific acts of genocide since the Holocaust during World War II.  Lasting only one hundred days it claimed the lives of over 800,000 people and had lasting effects on global civilization to this day. Even though the world had been consumed by many travesties before, the Rwandan Genocide exposed that violent human injustices on a grand scale could still happen regardless of the advancements made within “global society”. Decades of internal conflict within Rwanda because of colonialism, class, and clan played a great role in marring cultural identity and thusly created a foundation for the genocide.  The homogeny of cultures evolved, separating the population of Rwanda into three distinct groups: Hutu, Tutsi, and a marginal group of Twa that made up one percent of the population. Hutu ultimately came into power and with the help of the Interahamwe (a Hutu militia group) and the Rwandan Armed Forces committed atrocities towards Tutsi peoples under the ideal of 'social revolution ' and extermination of perceived 'enemies ' of the Hutu race. The planning and execution to erase and exterminate the culture and identity of Tutsi people is a classic and legal example of Genocide.

Before Rwanda was colonized it was solely ruled by Tutsi leaders. This did not change even during colonialism. In 1884 the Berlin conference assigned the region of rwanda to germany and germany just decided to rule through the monarchy of Rwanda. Which at the time was ruled by the Tutsi Kingdom. In 1889 Rwanda officially became a part of a colony of German East Africa(Rwanda). After the sudden defeat of Germany in World War I the League of Nations Mandate of 1919 appointed Belgium to administer Rwanda and Burundi. They later decided on the name of Rwanda and burundi to be Rwanda- Urundi(Rwanda). The Belgians only wanted the tutsis to lead Rwanda because they felt like they were more superior in a sense. The belgians believed that the Tutsi

Often described as the most horrible and systematic human massacre since the Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide has been a subject of research and debate for decades. Typically, ethnic and cultural differences between segments of Rwanda’s diverse population, namely the Hutu and the Tutsi, is the reason given to explain the genocide. Although this is a valid argument, the roots of the conflict are more complex stretching back to the era of colonialism. The impact of colonialism on Rwandan politics and society set the foundations for revolution in 1959 and, ultimately, genocide in 1994.

When atrocities take place in the world, society tends to forget and move on without proper historical reasoning, this is what took place in Rwanda. Before the colonization by Germany and Belgium, Rwanda was divided into two prominent groups. The elite Tutsi, and the Hutu, who were peasant farmers. Due to competition, greed, and envy every European Nation wanted to divide and conquer Africa for themselves. Germany and Belgium did not take into consideration the different tribes when they agreed to divide Rwanda up for natural resources and profit. The greed of Belgium and long standing rivalry between two tribes steered a once prosperous Kingdom into turmoil. The colonization of Rwanda is one of the many precursors that

As a background information, Rwanda is a small country located in East Africa. It is landlocked and in the past two decades, it has been known for the genocide against Tutsi, the catastrophe that happened in 1994 the year I was born in. Rwanda obtained

Rwanda is a small country located in east-central Africa. It is also known as “The land of a Thousand Hills” because of its landscape. The capital Kigali is located in the centre of the country. Since 1924 Belgium became the administering authority of Rwanda, but in 1962 the country was declared independent. The people in Rwanda were divided in two major groups: the Tutsi and the Hutu. Although the Tutsi’s were in the minority they belonged to the upper class. When the Belgians left Rwanda they then decided to give more power to the Hutu. On April 6, 1994 the presidential plane was shot down and from this day on a 100-day terror of the Hutu against the Tutsi begun in which nearly a million people were killed (White, 2014). These events are

It is estimated and recorded that, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, resulted to over 800,000 to a million deaths of the Tutsis that where brutally eliminated and murdered. This figure includes men, women and children who constitute three-quarter of the entire Tutsi population and 20% of Rwanda population at large. Rwanda Genocide generated a lot of criticism especially the role of France, the lip service attitude that resulted to the late intervention of the international community after the end of the atrocities committed against the Tutsis, was termed one of the most wicked brutal atrocities against the Tutsis that, suffered mass killings of their woman, children and innocent civilians as well as foreigners are victims of the brutal attacks. Before the occurrence of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the country population stood at 7milion people, the Hutu had 85% of the entire population which made it the most populous tribe and the majority ethnic group followed by the Tutsi which has 14% that made it minority ethnic group with the Twa tribe with just 1%. Rwanda got her independence from Belgium in 1st of July 1962, which made it a colony of Belgium. According to historians and scholars, the conflict that resulted to the Rwandan genocide was a long standing hatred between the Hutu and Tutsi. The paper will discuss the causes of the genocide, the crisis between the Rwanda Patriotic Front and the Hutu led government and the power sharing deals under president Habyarimana, the