RwandaGenocide of 1994

Land of a thousand hills

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In Rwanda, Hutus and Tutsis have shared a country for hundreds of years. They have lived as neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family

members. Some cannot tell the groups apart.

Lake Kivu

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Coffee Plantation•Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea.

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1885-Rwanda was colonized first by Germany.

1911- A rebellion was stopped by the Germans and the Tutsis, leaving some Hutu

bitter and angry.

1916- Belgium takes over Rwanda

1933- Belgians order a census and everyone is classified as either Hutu or

Tutsi

Classification

• Hutu and Tutsi considered to be two separate ethnic groups but they:

– Speak the same language

– Have history of intermarriages

– Share many cultural characteristics

*Traditionally, the differences between the two groups were occupational rather than ethnic.

Hutu Tutsi

• Agricultural people were considered Hutu

• Hutu were short and square

• while the cattle-owning elite were identified as Tutsi

• Supposedly Tutsi were tall and thin, while, but it is often impossible to tell one from the other

*The 1933 requirement by the Belgians that everyone carry an identity card indicating tribal ethnicity as Tutsi or Hutu enhanced the distinction

•Rwanda is 94% Christian.

•Many of the Christians are Roman Catholic.(54-70%, depending on the source)

Religion

On April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana’s plane was shot down. Hutu leaders blamed the Tutsi, and the genocide began.

GenocideDeliberate and

methodical annihilation of a national or racial

group.

100 days- period of violence beginning in April of 1994. Almost 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered.

Interhamwe- group of Hutu who led the genocide. (means “those who kill together”)

RPF- Rwandan Patriotic Front- group of Tutsi who had fled to Uganda years before; returned to Rwanda to fight back against the genocide.

Many Hutus who had killed in the genocide fled to neighboring countries. Many still live in refugee camps in Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I just hope what happened to us never happens to children anywhere in the world”.

“What they did to us was beyond comprehension. Not even God can understand why they did it. I don’t think I could do to them what they did to us.” -Emmanuel Mourangira

Works Citedhttp://www.magic-safaris.com/05_wherewhat/04_rwanda/kivu.asp

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http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.africa.rwanda.html