Rwandan Genocide: Difference between revisions
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In 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a rebel group composed mostly of Tutsi refugees, invaded northern Rwanda from Uganda in an attempt to defeat the Hutu-led government. They began the Rwandan Civil War, fought between the Hutu regime, with support from Francophone Africa and France, and the RPF, with support from Uganda. This exacerbated ethnic tensions in the country. In response, many Hutu gravitated toward the Hutu Power ideology, with the prompting of state-controlled and independent Rwandan media. | In 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a rebel group composed mostly of Tutsi refugees, invaded northern Rwanda from Uganda in an attempt to defeat the Hutu-led government. They began the Rwandan Civil War, fought between the Hutu regime, with support from Francophone Africa and France, and the RPF, with support from Uganda. This exacerbated ethnic tensions in the country. In response, many Hutu gravitated toward the Hutu Power ideology, with the prompting of state-controlled and independent Rwandan media. | ||
As an ideology, Hutu Power asserted that the Tutsi intended to enslave the Hutu and must be resisted at all costs. Continuing ethnic strife resulted in the rebels' displacing large numbers of Hutu in the north, plus periodic localized Hutu killings of Tutsi in the south. International pressure on the Hutu-led government of Juvénal Habyarimana resulted in a cease-fire in 1993. He planned to implement the | As an ideology, Hutu Power asserted that the Tutsi intended to enslave the Hutu and must be resisted at all costs. Continuing ethnic strife resulted in the rebels' displacing large numbers of Hutu in the north, plus periodic localized Hutu killings of Tutsi in the south. International pressure on the Hutu-led government of Juvénal Habyarimana resulted in a cease-fire in 1993. He planned to implement the Arusha Accords. | ||
The assassination of Habyarimana in April 1994 set off a violent reaction, during which Hutu groups conducted mass killings of Tutsis (and also pro-peace Hutus, who were portrayed as "traitors" and "collaborators"). This genocide had been planned by members of the Hutu power group known as the Akazu, many of whom occupied positions at top levels of the national government; the genocide was supported and coordinated by the national government as well as by local military and civil officials and mass media. Alongside the military, primary responsibility for the killings themselves rests with two Hutu militias that had been organized for this purpose by political parties: the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi, although once the [[Genocide|genocide]] was underway a great number of Hutu civilians took part in the murders. It was the end of the peace agreement. The Tutsi RPF restarted their offensive, defeating the army and seizing control of the country. | The assassination of Habyarimana in April 1994 set off a violent reaction, during which Hutu groups conducted mass killings of Tutsis (and also pro-peace Hutus, who were portrayed as "traitors" and "collaborators"). This genocide had been planned by members of the Hutu power group known as the Akazu, many of whom occupied positions at top levels of the national government; the genocide was supported and coordinated by the national government as well as by local military and civil officials and mass media. Alongside the military, primary responsibility for the killings themselves rests with two Hutu militias that had been organized for this purpose by political parties: the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi, although once the [[Genocide|genocide]] was underway a great number of Hutu civilians took part in the murders. It was the end of the peace agreement. The Tutsi RPF restarted their offensive, defeating the army and seizing control of the country. | ||
Rwanda today has two | Rwanda today has two public holidays commemorating the incident, with Genocide Memorial Day on April 7th marking the start, and Liberation Day on July 4th marking the end. The week following April 7th is designated an official week of mourning. | ||
One global impact of the Rwandan Genocide is that it served as impetus to the creation of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court International Criminal Court], so that ad hoc tribunals would not need to be created for future incidents of genocide, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity crimes against humanity] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes war crimes]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Statute Rome Statute] is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty treaty] that established the ICC, and was adopted at a diplomatic conference in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome Rome] on 17 July 1998. | One global impact of the Rwandan Genocide is that it served as impetus to the creation of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court International Criminal Court], so that ad hoc tribunals would not need to be created for future incidents of genocide, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity crimes against humanity] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_crimes war crimes]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Statute Rome Statute] is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty treaty] that established the ICC, and was adopted at a diplomatic conference in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome Rome] on 17 July 1998. | ||