Genocide in Rwanda

By Jim Cook
July 1994

In Rwanda, Hutu extremists have killed off nearly a million Tutsis since April.

The Hutu extremist group, the Interhamwe, is responsible for the massacres of Tutsis and

moderate Hutus, and the Hutu Army, whose duty is to protect Rwanda, is doing nothing

to stop the genocide.

The world is making no attempt to end the genocide, as well. The United States,

along with other western nations, have refused to intervene, and have withdrawn their

citizens from Rwanda. Also, there is a shortage of UN peacekeepers in Rwanda, and the

United Nations has not made any advancement towards peacekeeping programs. UN

peacekeepers have been ordered not to use their weapons, except when they are attacked.

The Hutus make up the majority of Rwandans, and the Tutsi people are the

minority. Between the two ethnic groups, the Tutsis have had control over Rwanda and

have been in the upper class. This has caused a rift between the Hutus and the Tutsis.

Shortly before the genocide, the Arusha Accords were negotiated, which split the

Rwandan government between the Hutus and the Rwandan Patriotic Front, a Tutsi

organization. On April 6th, Juvenal Habyarimana, the President of Rwanda, was killed

after his plane was shot down; causing the beginning of the genocide.

Tutsis all over Rwanda, including Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, were

killed by Hutu extremists. Many have been gruesomely killed with machetes, and there

are very few places in Rwanda where Tutsis can find refuge from the Hutus.

One of those few places has been the Hôtel des Mille Collines, in Kigali, where

1200 Tutsis have found refuge. Agathe Uwilingiyimana’s children are among the orphans
at the hotel. The Hôtel des Mille Collines has been protected by a small number of

unarmed UN peacekeepers. Also, hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina has cut deals and

bribed Hutu extremists in order to protect the refugees. The Hôtel des Mille Collines has

been known recently for a failed UN convey that tried to escape with refugees to Kigali

Airport but failed after the refugees were tracked down and beaten.

Other Tutsis and moderate Hutus have found refuge in refugee camps along the

borders of Rwanda.

The Rwandan Patriotic Front have been fighting the Rwandan Army for power

since the Rwandan Civil War, which began in 1990. Although, there has been genocide

and the Rwandan Patriotic Front has had to fight from the borders of Rwanda, they have

managed to win the Rwandan Civil War and have taken control of Rwanda’s government

from the Hutus.

Now that the genocide is coming to an end, it is not clear what will become of

Rwanda. Many Hutu killers are escaping from Rwanda, and the trials of Hutu killers are

coming up. One of the most anticipated trials is the trial of Jean Kambanda, the Rwandan

Prime Minister during the period of genocide. Also, it is not clear over how the Rwandan

Patriotic Front will establish a new government. The Rwandan Patriotic Front should

definitely include the Hutus in the new government, and steer Rwanda away from the

genocide.

The Rwandan Genocide has been considered the fastest mass-killing of people

ever. After seeing the horrors of Rwanda, many have said “Never Again.” Let’s just hope

they mean it and will not let a country that is in genocide down.