Rwanda Genocide

Rwandan Genocide

Rwandan Background

-First known as the Kingdom of Banyarwanda

-Founded by the Tutsi in the 15th century.

-Authority given to Belgium after WWII

-Went by the borders set-up by it’s ancestors.

-Majority of Hutu voted to abolish the monarchy

-Republic began and the last king, Kigeri V. Ndahindurwa was forced out of the state.

The Hutu

-The Hutu are one of the ethnic groups occupying Burundi and Rwanda

-They arrived in that region somewhere around the 1st century displacing a group known as the Twa

-They lived as farmers

-They dominated that area with various small kingdoms until around the 15th century

The Tutsi

-Arrived in Rwandan Burundi region during the 15th century migrating from Ethiopia

-Took over rule after conquering the Hutu

-Remained in power until the colonialism period began

Physical differences

-The Hutu are on average shorter than the Tutsi and have large noses and ears

-The Tutsi have longer sharper noses, relatively tall, lighter skin color and have more European features.

-This is one of the reasons why European settlers took to the Tutsi rather than the Hutu

The Genocide

-April 6 1994 President Habyarimana who was the president of Rwanda Cyprien Ntaryamira who was the president of

Burundi is killed. Plane was shot down outside of Kigali Airport

-That night the killing begins

-The Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) move in and set up roadblocks

-They traveled through houses going on a massive killing spree of the Tutsi people

-After 100 days of murdering and such the fighting came to a stop after the massacre of over 800 000 Tutsi and some

Hutu finished.

UN Involvement in Rwanda

-Some of the members in the Security Council (most importantly the United States) for their own interests did not want

to engage in conflict.