IAFS 1000 Conflict and Conflict Resolution: Rwanda
Rwandan Genocide (1994) 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu murdered by Hutu extremists 3 million refugees
German South West Africa (Namibia)
Herero Genocide ( ) German South West Africa (now Namibia) –Herero uprising –German response
1948 Convention on Prevention & Punishment of Genocide GGenocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”
Impact of Herero Genocide Herero population: –1905: 80,000 –1911: 15,000
Pre-Colonial Rwanda Tutsi king Rwabugiri ( ) — favored Tutsi — helped create “ethnic” differences
Colonial Rwanda (German) 1890: German control —indirect rule through King Musinga —1914: ◦ 5 German civil servants ◦ 96 Germans total —“Racial” differences between Tutsi, Hutu, & Twa —Tutsis as “near-Caucasians”
Colonial Rwanda (Belgian with French influence) 1916: Belgian control 1919: League of Nations mandate French influence 1920s: increased state control —formalized ubuhake contracts
Colonial Rwanda (Belgian with French influence) 1933: identity cards Influence of Catholic church Results: –freezing of Rwandan society –increased ethnic divisions
Decolonization : Hutu revolution 1962: independence —Hutu-led government —Tutsi refugees
Independent Rwanda Strong center Ideas of ethnic difference Culture of fear Late 1980s: economic downturn
Independent Rwanda 1990: civil war Oct 1993: Hutu president of Burundi assassinated by Tutsi soldiers — communal violence — Rwandan peace talks — UN peacekeepers
Independent Rwanda Media incitement of violence 6 Apr 1994: crash of place carrying Pres. Habyarimana [pron. HA-bya-ray-MA-na]
The Genocide President Habyarimana (Hutu) shot down 6 Apr 1994 Waves of killing: –Opposition politicians, including Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana –Dissenting Hutus –Tutsi Late June: French unilateral intervention