Rwandan Genocide

Under Rwabugiri the country ran under a feudal style society. the Tutsi were the aristocracy class while the Hutus were their vassals. Tutsi were the upper class and were mostly herdsman while the Hutus were lower class and were mostly farmers.

1895- Rwabugiri dies and turmoil begins in the country of Rwanda over succession.

Germans were the first Europeans to enter the country of Rwanda. Count von Gotzen visited the court of Rwabugiri in 1894.

Following the death of Rwabugiri, the Germans moved in to claim the region for the Kaiser (the leader of the German Empire) in 1897. Additionally, they claimed Burundi, a separate kingdom to the south. The entire area was treated as one colony, Ruanda-Urundi.

Since this area of Central Africa was quite inaccessible, the Germans controlled the area indirectly. Agents were placed at courts of various local rulers. German influence was not extensive when the region was taken away after the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914.

When Germany invades Belgium at the beginning of World War 1, Belgians retaliate on the African continent by sending troops from the Belgian Congo to invade Ruanda-Urundi in 1916.

After the War, the League of Nations grants Belgium administrators of Ruanda-Urundi in 1925.

In 1925 Ruanda-Urundi was linked with the Belgian Congo. Administration of the Belgian Congo was centered in Brussels while Ruanda-Urundi was left to the Tutsi aristocracy.

The Belgians observed the distinct separation between the Tutsi and Hutus and allowed the Tutsis to control the region. Hutus were subjected to forced labor while the Tutsis supervised.

1933- everyone in Ruanda-Urundi were issued with a racial identity card, which identified them as Hutu (85%) or Tutsi (14%). The remaining 1% was the Twa, original Pygmies indigenous to the area.

The Belgian attitude laid the groundwork for future violence by reinforcing the distinction between the two groups and favoring the Tutsi.

-Both Ruanda-Urundi become independent in July 1962. The UN tried to keep the two regions a single country, however they opted to seperate them.

-Ruanda becomes Rwanda and turns itself into a republic.

-Urundi becomes independent as a Constitutional Monarchy and changes its name to Burundi.

Hutu leaders in Ruanda published the Hutu Manifesto in 1957. This prepared the supporters for a future political conflict that was entirely ethnic based.

1959- First violent outbreak occured when Tutsi political activists beat up a Hutu rival in Gitirama.

The national campaign of Hutu violence again Tutsis were known as "The Wind of Destruction." In the following months, many Tutsis began to flee Ruanda, this included the 25 year old hereditary ruler.

In the election of 1960 Hutu politicans score an major victory. Gregoire Kayibanda, an author of the Hutu Manifesto leads a provisional government for the interim period of independence.

-First presidental election was won by Gregoire Kayibanda.
-"Cockrocaches" become the favorite slang for Tutsis and "killing the cockroaches" became a familar feature in Rwandan life. This movement was promoted by the Rwandan government led by the Hutus.

-Following an invasion of Tutsi guerrillas in December 1963, the government declares a state of emergency, emphasizing the need to "clear the bush." Within days, 14,000 Tutsis were massacred in the southern province of Gikongoro. This coordinated plan was stated as being the most horrible and systematic massacre since the Holocaust.

-1973- Kayibanda was removed from office by a group of arm officers and replaced him with major general Juvenal Habyarimana.

-Habyarimina was in power for 21 years. He ran the country under a military dictatorship. He had the support of many Western nations such as France.

-His ethnic policies causes issues at the Rwandan borders because the many of the Tutsi refugees living in bordering countries were becoming increasing "unwanted." Efforts were made to send them back to Rwanda, but they were rejected.

-Rwandan exiles form the group RPF or the Rwandan Patriotic Front following being told that they had no right to return their home country.

-October 1, 1990, leaders of the RPF (Tutsi officers in the Ugandan military) deserted and invaded Rwanda. This invasion was put down by Habyarimina with the support of French Paratroopers.

-The Hutu Ten Commandments were published in newspapers throughout the country in December of 1990. This promoted Hutu power and promoted further hatred toward Tutsi and Tutsi sympathizers.

-Government began to develop and recruit youth Militia called the Interahamwe. Ethnic violence continues as lists were made of local Tutsis and Hutu sympathizers.

-1992, Habyarimana began to disappoint his extreme followers by failing to suppress the guerilla RPF and under international pressures, began to negotiate for peace.

-A peace treaty was signed in 1993 with the RPF, which officially brought an end of the war.