Rwandan Genocide
Introduction
Genocide, it ‘is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a specific nation or ethnic group’. Genocide is a very controversial topic, particularly the Rwandan Genocide which shocked the world in 1994. Rwanda has had a history of violence between the Hutus and Tutsis. In 100 days, 800,000 to 1 million people were mercilessly slaughtered by Hutu militia. The Hutus were targeting the Tutsi minority, as well as their political enemies. This tragedy was horrendous and what was even worse was the extent to which the ‘world’ was able to intervene to protect human life. The Rwandan Genocide was specifically inexcusable because of the lack of help and lack of media coverage from the rest of …show more content…
Hutus were the majority of Rwanda while the Tutsis were the minority. Even though about 85% of Rwandans are Hutus, the Tutsi minority had extensively controlled the country. Ethnic discrimination was nothing new in Rwanda. The separation of the two groups had nothing to do with religion or language. They speak the same language, inhabit the same areas and follow the same traditions. It is believed that the Belgium colonists divided them in order to complete their censuses. The Tutsis welcomed the idea of being racially superior and because of this they were able to have better jobs, more rights and have a higher education. The Hutus were racially inferior and were forced to do labour. The genocide began with the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu. He was shot down in a plane on the 6th of April 1994. The Hutus had blamed the Tutsis and the Tutsis had blamed the Hutus. The Tutsis had said that the Hutus had murdered him in order to provide an excuse to carry out their plan to kill the Tutsi community. The Hutu President was also about to sign a peace treaty between the two ethnic groups, so there was no reason why the Tutsis would have him executed. This genocide rampage lasted for exactly 100 days. During this time period, more than 6 men, women and children were killed every minute. The Rwandan Genocide was conflicted between the Hutus …show more content…
Red Cross is an international organization that cares for the sick and wounded during war, the homeless, and those affected by natural disasters. Their mission statement is ‘The International Committee of the Red Cross is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.' The Red Cross had a center in Kigali, which is in the middle of Rwanda in 1990. In Kigali, they had a makeshift hospital, first aid supplies and transport. Their job was to offer aid to orphans, detainees and general victims affected by the war. Red Cross stayed in Rwanda to look after and care for wounded Tutsis, without discrimination. The International Committee of the Red Cross played a key role in the Rwandan Genocide. They had ambulances to pick up survivors and bring them back to Kigali. Every day they aided new victims that had been thrashed by Hutu rebels. Once, an ambulance was attacked by Hutus, they killed all six patients. Tutsis survivors were described as by Hutus as ‘those not finished off,’ (Ghosts of Rwanda). After that incident, the Director of the Red Cross condemned the Hutus and the Hutu leaders. "I was not talking with humans. I was literally talking with evil," – General Romeo Dallaire, on his talks with genocide leaders. He convinced the leaders
Introduction
Genocide, it ‘is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a specific nation or ethnic group’. Genocide is a very controversial topic, particularly the Rwandan Genocide which shocked the world in 1994. Rwanda has had a history of violence between the Hutus and Tutsis. In 100 days, 800,000 to 1 million people were mercilessly slaughtered by Hutu militia. The Hutus were targeting the Tutsi minority, as well as their political enemies. This tragedy was horrendous and what was even worse was the extent to which the ‘world’ was able to intervene to protect human life. The Rwandan Genocide was specifically inexcusable because of the lack of help and lack of media coverage from the rest of …show more content…
Hutus were the majority of Rwanda while the Tutsis were the minority. Even though about 85% of Rwandans are Hutus, the Tutsi minority had extensively controlled the country. Ethnic discrimination was nothing new in Rwanda. The separation of the two groups had nothing to do with religion or language. They speak the same language, inhabit the same areas and follow the same traditions. It is believed that the Belgium colonists divided them in order to complete their censuses. The Tutsis welcomed the idea of being racially superior and because of this they were able to have better jobs, more rights and have a higher education. The Hutus were racially inferior and were forced to do labour. The genocide began with the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu. He was shot down in a plane on the 6th of April 1994. The Hutus had blamed the Tutsis and the Tutsis had blamed the Hutus. The Tutsis had said that the Hutus had murdered him in order to provide an excuse to carry out their plan to kill the Tutsi community. The Hutu President was also about to sign a peace treaty between the two ethnic groups, so there was no reason why the Tutsis would have him executed. This genocide rampage lasted for exactly 100 days. During this time period, more than 6 men, women and children were killed every minute. The Rwandan Genocide was conflicted between the Hutus …show more content…
Red Cross is an international organization that cares for the sick and wounded during war, the homeless, and those affected by natural disasters. Their mission statement is ‘The International Committee of the Red Cross is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.' The Red Cross had a center in Kigali, which is in the middle of Rwanda in 1990. In Kigali, they had a makeshift hospital, first aid supplies and transport. Their job was to offer aid to orphans, detainees and general victims affected by the war. Red Cross stayed in Rwanda to look after and care for wounded Tutsis, without discrimination. The International Committee of the Red Cross played a key role in the Rwandan Genocide. They had ambulances to pick up survivors and bring them back to Kigali. Every day they aided new victims that had been thrashed by Hutu rebels. Once, an ambulance was attacked by Hutus, they killed all six patients. Tutsis survivors were described as by Hutus as ‘those not finished off,’ (Ghosts of Rwanda). After that incident, the Director of the Red Cross condemned the Hutus and the Hutu leaders. "I was not talking with humans. I was literally talking with evil," – General Romeo Dallaire, on his talks with genocide leaders. He convinced the leaders