The Rwandan Genocide was one of the shortest, yet bloodiest genocides in history. In just 100 short days the Hutus managed to kill more than 800,000 Tutsis. Although the killing span was short, tensions between these two groups had been building for years. When Belgium took control of Rwanda in 1918 a lot of the Tutsis were given higher positions, this was the start of a long road of conflict between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Beginning in 1959 the Hutus started to rebel against the Tutsis and the Belgians, and by January of 1961, the Tutsi monarchy had been destroyed. All of this leading up to the horrible 100 days. (Rosenberg, 2015)
In 1993, radio stations start broadcasting hate and a lot of propaganda, most of it against the Tutsis. Calling them names like cockroaches and even insisting that they be taken out. This did nothing but fill peoples minds with hate and speed up the civil war and upcoming massacres. On April 6th, 1994 Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana's plane is shot out of the sky and he is killed, he was a Hutu. This event proved the trigger point for the genocide because the very next day, April 7th, 1994 the order was given for the Hutus to "Cut the tall tress down" and begin the mass murder of the Tutsi people. Throughout the next 100 days massacres are led throughout the country, Hutus going through villages and towns and killing hundreds of people every day. Throughout the genocide many Tutsis fled to neighboring countries hoping to find safety. The killings didn't stop until mid July of 1994 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country. (Rosenberg, 2015)
In 1993, radio stations start broadcasting hate and a lot of propaganda, most of it against the Tutsis. Calling them names like cockroaches and even insisting that they be taken out. This did nothing but fill peoples minds with hate and speed up the civil war and upcoming massacres. On April 6th, 1994 Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana's plane is shot out of the sky and he is killed, he was a Hutu. This event proved the trigger point for the genocide because the very next day, April 7th, 1994 the order was given for the Hutus to "Cut the tall tress down" and begin the mass murder of the Tutsi people. Throughout the next 100 days massacres are led throughout the country, Hutus going through villages and towns and killing hundreds of people every day. Throughout the genocide many Tutsis fled to neighboring countries hoping to find safety. The killings didn't stop until mid July of 1994 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country. (Rosenberg, 2015)
Brief timeline:
· 1918-1959- Rwanda becomes controlled by the Belgians which decide to card everyone with a classified group (Hutu and Tutsi).The Belgians favor the Tutsi which is the smaller group compared to the Hutu’s. They have conflicts with who is who and find a better system of defining them. Later on the Hutu’s rebel against the Tutsi and Belgians and try to take control.
· 1961-62- The Belgians Flee and stop ruling them and Rwanda becomes independent with some Tutsi ruling and some Hutu’s.
· 1970-80’s- Tutsi began to flee to different countries because the hated and ruling of the Hutu’s. More conflict comes between the Tutsi’s and the Hutu’s and it almost starts a civil war against them.
· 1994-
o April- The President of Rwanda is killed by his helicopter being shot down. The Hutu’s start a mass killing and go house to house kill the Tutsi. They also start killing all political opponents in their government.
o May- the United Nation tries to step in but many of them are killing from trying to protect the Tutsi’s. They start at 2,500 but decrease to 250 from the killings.
o June- French troops try to make a safe area for the Tutsi to run. The Tutsi and some of the French soldiers get killed in the safe area and the United Nations start calling it Genocide.
o July- The RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) step in and take over the government which makes most of the Hutu’s flee to different countries around Rwanda. Once the RPF has full control of the government the Genocide ends.
· 1995-Today- Leaders, Speakers, and even Writers have been committed to the crimes of the Rwanda Genocide for there force of wanting to kill the Tutsi people and publishing names and who they all are.
· 1961-62- The Belgians Flee and stop ruling them and Rwanda becomes independent with some Tutsi ruling and some Hutu’s.
· 1970-80’s- Tutsi began to flee to different countries because the hated and ruling of the Hutu’s. More conflict comes between the Tutsi’s and the Hutu’s and it almost starts a civil war against them.
· 1994-
o April- The President of Rwanda is killed by his helicopter being shot down. The Hutu’s start a mass killing and go house to house kill the Tutsi. They also start killing all political opponents in their government.
o May- the United Nation tries to step in but many of them are killing from trying to protect the Tutsi’s. They start at 2,500 but decrease to 250 from the killings.
o June- French troops try to make a safe area for the Tutsi to run. The Tutsi and some of the French soldiers get killed in the safe area and the United Nations start calling it Genocide.
o July- The RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) step in and take over the government which makes most of the Hutu’s flee to different countries around Rwanda. Once the RPF has full control of the government the Genocide ends.
· 1995-Today- Leaders, Speakers, and even Writers have been committed to the crimes of the Rwanda Genocide for there force of wanting to kill the Tutsi people and publishing names and who they all are.