Causes and Effects of the Rwandan Genocide
The word ‘genocide’ originates from the Greek word ‘genos’ meaning tribe or race, and the Latin word ‘cide’ meaning killing (Cook 4). The Rwandan Genocide stands one of the worst massacres of its kind and one of the bloodiest wars in the history of the world (Cook 88). The genocide predominantly involved the slaying of the people of the Tutsi ethnic tribe. In just one hundred days, an approximately 800,000 Tutsis had been killed by the people of the Hutu ethnic tribe (Barnett 4). This portion accounted for about a tenth of the population of the East African nation. The Hutu also died during the genocide, but the number was far less than that of the Tutsis.
The crude killing spree began after the …show more content…
In fact, the Hutu and Tutsi people speak the same language, Kinyarwanda, and have almost similar cultures (Mamdani 73). That the two groups would fight so badly was unimaginable. The difference between them is their physical attributes, with the Tutsis being taller and more slender than their counterparts. The Tutsi is believed to have originated from Ethiopia. For this reason, during the massacre, many of the Tutsis murdered were thrown into the river so that “they could return to their homeland” (Mamdani 86).
The colonizers of Rwanda, to some extent, are to blame for the 1994 genocide. During their rule in Rwanda, the Belgians introduced an aristocratic system of leadership and placed the Hutus a notch higher than the Tutsis (Melvern 174). The colonialists favored the Hutu in the awarding of opportunities in education, employment and leadership. This preferential treatment by the Belgians planted the seed of antagonism between the Hutu and the …show more content…
Close to a million lives were lost, children were orphaned, women raped and men mutilated. The children live without the guidance and support of parent figures. Some women suffer HIV/AIDS while others bore children who remind them of the dark times. Many men live without their limbs, eyes and other parts of their body that were removed. As much as victims would want to forget the events of April to June 1994, there are constant reminders of the same (Dellaire 112).
Men were the main targets in the killings. Therefore, the massacre altered the demographic pattern of Rwanda, leaving more widows and many women without suitors for marriage. For this reason, polygamy is widely accepted in the Rwandese culture. This also contributed to the high rates of HIV transmission in the country. (Human Rights Watch 59).
The Rwandan Genocide of 1994 is an occurrence that will never leave the hearts and minds of the Rwandese people. Every day the events of the massacre will remind them of the cruelty that was done by the very people they were living with, long-time friends, and even relatives (Dellaire 116). The memories are ugly and scary. Nobody would dream of a repeat of the
The word ‘genocide’ originates from the Greek word ‘genos’ meaning tribe or race, and the Latin word ‘cide’ meaning killing (Cook 4). The Rwandan Genocide stands one of the worst massacres of its kind and one of the bloodiest wars in the history of the world (Cook 88). The genocide predominantly involved the slaying of the people of the Tutsi ethnic tribe. In just one hundred days, an approximately 800,000 Tutsis had been killed by the people of the Hutu ethnic tribe (Barnett 4). This portion accounted for about a tenth of the population of the East African nation. The Hutu also died during the genocide, but the number was far less than that of the Tutsis.
The crude killing spree began after the …show more content…
In fact, the Hutu and Tutsi people speak the same language, Kinyarwanda, and have almost similar cultures (Mamdani 73). That the two groups would fight so badly was unimaginable. The difference between them is their physical attributes, with the Tutsis being taller and more slender than their counterparts. The Tutsi is believed to have originated from Ethiopia. For this reason, during the massacre, many of the Tutsis murdered were thrown into the river so that “they could return to their homeland” (Mamdani 86).
The colonizers of Rwanda, to some extent, are to blame for the 1994 genocide. During their rule in Rwanda, the Belgians introduced an aristocratic system of leadership and placed the Hutus a notch higher than the Tutsis (Melvern 174). The colonialists favored the Hutu in the awarding of opportunities in education, employment and leadership. This preferential treatment by the Belgians planted the seed of antagonism between the Hutu and the …show more content…
Close to a million lives were lost, children were orphaned, women raped and men mutilated. The children live without the guidance and support of parent figures. Some women suffer HIV/AIDS while others bore children who remind them of the dark times. Many men live without their limbs, eyes and other parts of their body that were removed. As much as victims would want to forget the events of April to June 1994, there are constant reminders of the same (Dellaire 112).
Men were the main targets in the killings. Therefore, the massacre altered the demographic pattern of Rwanda, leaving more widows and many women without suitors for marriage. For this reason, polygamy is widely accepted in the Rwandese culture. This also contributed to the high rates of HIV transmission in the country. (Human Rights Watch 59).
The Rwandan Genocide of 1994 is an occurrence that will never leave the hearts and minds of the Rwandese people. Every day the events of the massacre will remind them of the cruelty that was done by the very people they were living with, long-time friends, and even relatives (Dellaire 116). The memories are ugly and scary. Nobody would dream of a repeat of the