Topic: Genocide in Rwanda Aim: What was the impact of the tragic events in Rwanda?

Do Now: What does the word “genocide” mean? Write about a time and place where “genocide” occurred.

What is Genocide? Genocide means actions committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html

Rwanda

I. Geography of Rwanda A. Rwanda is in central Africa. B. The capital is Kigali. Map

Once upon a time… There were two ethnic groups of people living in Rwanda; the Hutus and the Tutsis The Tutsis were cattle herders The Hutus were crop-growers

But let’s make this more accurate. Once upon a time… Do you remember the “Scramble for Africa”? The Belgians colonized Rwanda after WWI They treated the Tutsis better and allowed them to be the landowners The Hutus were forced to work the fields Tutsi 15% Hutu 85% But let’s make this more accurate.

Belgian ethnic divisions of Rwandan people Taller, thinner, longer nose Belgian ethnic divisions of Rwandan people Rounder nose Do you think that was fair?

II. Before genocide 1926 Belgian rule – Tutsis were given control of land Hutus worked the land Based on different physical features such as skull and nose shapes. B. Tutsi (15 % of pop.), Hutu (84 % of pop.) C. Tutsis were the minority elite D. Hutus were not happy being ruled by Tutsis

Once upon a time… Over the years the Hutus became angered by Tutsi elite. In the 1960’s, Hutus (the majority of the population) gain political power. In the 1960’s – the early1990’s, Rwanda had Hutu presidents.

III. During genocide 1994. President Habyarimana (Hutu) dies after his plane is shot down. The Hutus blame and set out to massacre all Tutsis within the country. 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsis are killed over 100 days (men, women, children, and babies) machetes used to kill Tutsi people tried to flee Who is a Tutsi? What determines what a Tutsi is? Who created that difference?

Rwanda 1994 “Hutu Mobs armed with machetes and other weapons killed roughly 8,000 Tutsis a day during a three-month campaign of terror. Powerful nations stood by as the slaughter surged on despite pleas from Rwandan and UN observers” National Geographic 2006.

Tutsis fleeing Rwanda (1994) Refugee camp (1994) Why did people leave?

IV. Rwanda after genocide This Genocide was ended when the Tutsi rebel movement (Rwandese Political Front) took power of the Hutu Government. Survivors lost their family members. Children lost their parents. Nearly 1,000,000 people were killed. Refugees in Rwanda (1996)

Reading: Ceiling Full of Bullets

People were singled out and killed based on their ethnic background Let’s assess… Why was genocide in Rwanda an act of genocide? People were singled out and killed based on their ethnic background