Historical Roots of The Rwandan Genocide

Introduction

While it is often hard to identify a single culprit or factor in any historical event, one of the more prominent roots of Rwanda’s problems and challenges is usually traced back to 1916 when Belgium began governing Rwanda after the end of World War I. It is crucial to remember, however, that it was under Germany’s rule that the theory of Tutsis being the superior race originated. This clear racial preference would, like a domino effect, eventually lead to the Rwandan Genocide (Des Forges, 1999).

Colonial Influence and Rising Tensions

As with many colonized nations, Rwanda was meant to be profitable for Belgium and was seen as a means to a very wealthy end. Tensions grew between Tutsis, Hutus, and Belgium, with the Tutsi even attempting to revolt against their colonizers. Nevertheless, their race would soon be officially recognized, being put on their identification papers to separate the perceived superior from the weak. A glimmer of hope emerged with Mutara III Rudahigwa, the King of Rwanda from 1931 until 1959, who sought to decrease the differences between Hutu and Tutsi (Prunier, 1995).

Mutara died in 1959. Rumors instantly flew towards the Hutus as the culprits, with some believing that it was the Hutu way of diminishing Tutsi control over Rwanda. Following an assassination attempt on Mutara’s younger brother, and the death of a Hutu politician at the hands of the Tutsi, the “wind of destruction,” otherwise known as the Rwandan revolution, took place in the form of violent attacks by the Hutu. The number of deceased Tutsi ranged from 20,000 to possibly even 100,000, which further fueled the hatred between the two groups (Mamdani, 2001). The consequences of this were the 1960s municipal elections held by the Belgians, where Hutu representatives were elected by the large majority of Rwanda (namely Hutus) – this meant that the Hutus were now in power, and the social statuses had completely flipped around.

Path to Independence and the Civil War

When Rwanda finally became its own republic in 1962, tensions hadn’t stopped growing between the two groups, and violence broke out in the nation. Juvénal Habyarimana, through a military coup, took power in 1973. By 1989, the population of Rwanda had increased to 7.1 million. Despite a better economic situation, Rwanda failed to tackle the immense refugee problem concerning the Tutsis, which later led to the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) initiating the Rwandan Civil War in 1990. A brief period of cease-fire followed in 1993 but ended in 1994 when Habyarimana died in a plane crash that was shot down. The Hutu blamed this on the Tutsi, and the Rwandan Genocide began, spanning over 100 days and brutally murdering approximately 800,000 Tutsi (and the Hutu that helped and were sympathetic towards the Tutsi) (Gourevitch, 1998). The UN sent peacekeeping forces, but the pacifist nature on which the forces are built proved little to no aid when the Hutu realized that the soldiers were not allowed to shoot. The people of Rwanda received little to no help from countries around the world, with the USA and Belgium only evacuating their own nationals.

Post-Genocide Reconstruction

The RPF eventually took over once more, and soon, the nation returned to a somewhat peaceful period, with the ICTR being established. The consequences of the genocide were, unfortunately, that approximately two million Hutus fled the country and caused refugee problems in bordering nations. Still, the economy has improved in Rwanda since then, and the ethnic tensions have been addressed, erasing the barrier between the two main sides of the Rwandan population. Rwanda is now a Presidential Republic and is ranked as one of the three least corrupt countries in Africa (Straus, 2006). Overall, the beginning of their independence caused mass death, which is now a major part of their history, but they have developed greatly since then and have successfully managed to better the situation between Hutu and Tutsi, ensuring that a genocide like that of 1994 will never happen again. While Rwanda did not deal well with the majority of the events brought on by gaining independence, this can be attributed to the fact that it was always divided into two – Hutu and Tutsi. Once they set their differences aside and the RPF took over, erasing the differences between Hutu and Tutsi, Rwanda began to thrive. In that way, they managed the end of the trouble well but struggled to find solutions during much of their history.

Conclusion

Rwanda's journey from a colonial possession to a nation marked by genocide and eventually to a unified republic is a testament to its resilience. The path was fraught with challenges, but the lessons learned have helped shape a more stable and prosperous future. The international community's response—or lack thereof—during the genocide remains a somber reminder of the need for vigilance and proactive intervention in preventing future atrocities.

References

• Des Forges, A. (1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda. Human Rights Watch.
• Gourevitch, P. (1998). We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Mamdani, M. (2001). When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda. Princeton University Press.
• Prunier, G. (1995). The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide. Columbia University Press.
• Straus, S. (2006). The Order of Genocide: Race, Power, and War in Rwanda. Cornell University Press.