Social Difference between Hutu and Tutsi initially profound
Tutsi: strong pastoralist tradition,
gained social, economic, and political
ascendancy over the Hutu
Now well integrated but
cultural difference between
ethnic groups remains
Hutu: primarily agriculturalists
Leaders
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana,
President of Rwanda, was
killed on April 6th 1994,
when his plane was shot
down just outside Kigali
(capital of Rwanda).
President Habyarimana had ruled Rwanda
by himself for almost 20 years (since the 1973
coup) and was an ex army officer. He was the
leader of the National Republican Movement
for Democracy and Development, the sole
leader of a single-party state.
It has been stated that the entire Genocide had
been pre-planned by President Habyarimana and a
small clique of government officials.
Théoneste Bagosora
Col. Théoneste Bagosora was proved to have played an
enormous part in organising the geonicde, and was the
person responsible for the formation of the extremist
Hutu interim government.
In 1997, he first appeared before the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania,
to face thirteen counts of eleven different international
crimes, based on the laws of genocide, crimes against
humanity, and war crimes.
Upon the interference of Tutsi army in response to the
genocide, Bagosora fled into neighbouring Zaire. "Fed
and protected in refugee camps supported by millions
of dollars in international aid, the Hutu Power leaders
were able to hold regular planning meetings and to
recruit new members."[10] With Bagosora actively
involved, they rebuilt their military structures with the
purpose of wiping out the Tutsi population.
Ideologies
Racial supremacy
Genocide was a day of
vengeance for Hutu's who
did not agree with the new
share of power with Tutsi's
During Genocide radio stations,
newspapers, public speeches (by those
closest to Habyarimana) that the Tusti's
were going to turn them into "beasts of the
field". if they were allowed to share
power
Hutu Extremist produced set of 10
commandments on how people should treat
their Tutsi neighbours
Privately owned newspapers, journalists, radio
stations, etc. were all used to promote Tutsi
hate propaganda, the main message being
conveyed was 'the Tutsi need to be killed'.
Hate and marginalisation of the Tutsi
people allowed for an atmosphere
where killing and mass murder was
acceptable.
Movements
Hutu militia
Very active, those who didn't join
might be considered traitors and
as such a target
Interhamwe - 'those
who attack together
Impuzamugambi - 'Those
who have the same goal
RAF - Rwandan Armed Forces
RPF - Rwandan Patriotic Front
RPA - Rwandan Patriotic Army
Group composed mainly of Tutsi rebels,
attempts to end killings the whole way
through the Genocide.
Secured Kigali, set up interim
government, effectively ended
genocide
Cultural
Ethnic Tensions
Hutu vs. Tutsi
Rwanda (before colonisation) was ruled by a Tutsi
Aristocracy
Hutu population > 4/5 of total population.
Tutsi population = 1/7
Political
Pre-Genocide
Government contained only Hutu's
pre 1990, there was only one party
Post-Genocide
required mixture of Tutsi
and Hutu government
New constitution aimed at
preventing further ethnic strife
within Rwanda
National symbols
and anthems
associated with
Hutu extremists
were changed
United Nations
Pre-Genocide
Peace
keeping force
in Rwanda.
by official mandate,
they cannot intervene
but must try to keep
peace without force
Post-Genocide
ICTR
(International
Criminal
Tribunal for
Rwanda
First tribunal to formally
recognise sexual
violence as a war crime
Did not impose
death penalty
incapable of processing war
criminals fast enough so many were
released and then re-captured
Countries apologised
for lack of intervention
and or help
US commits
money and
resources to help
rebuild Rwanda
An administrative
group to improve
system for identifying
nations at risk and
prevention of genocide
Talks within UN
of establishing
permanent
criminal court