The definition of the word “genocide” may be hard for some to comprehend. For those lacking knowledge of history, they might believe genocide is impossible to occur in times such as today. The definition of genocide is the “deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group” (dictionary.com). Throughout the history of mankind, groups of people have tried to annihilate different groups for different reasons. But how is an innocent child, first learning about genocide, able to believe such tragedies are even remotely possible? Doesn’t the human race have the responsibility to condemn and to ensure such systematic killings will never occur? However, mass genocides have taken place and examples are: the
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They had been economically dependent on their exports to the Western powers, such as the United States, however, the West was not dependent on Rwanda, due to the fact that other countries exported the same products, such as Columbia, Brazil, and other African countries. Native Rwandans had been segregated into three racial classifications by the Germans and Belgians: Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa. The high ranking officials had been part of the Tutsis and the Tutsis occupied the better parts of society. However, the Hutus did not live happy lives, such as the Tutsis; ninety percent of the Hutus lived in impoverished conditions, denied education, and denied land ownership. These are all reasons leading to the racial Rwanda genocide, however, arguably the most significant reason may be the issuance of ethnic identity cards which had been imposed by the Belgians. As tensions erupted in the country in 1962, a violent Hutu revolution took place, in which hundreds of Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. Many Tutsis fled Rwanda and returned with a vengeance in 1990, which was the start of the Rwanda Civil War. In 1993, the Belgian-Rusha treaty was signed which allowed the Tutsis to return to Rwanda with the protection of the United Nations. However, this treaty was a fraud as we know a year later, the planned genocide events took place to organize the “final …show more content…
Several Rwandan figures had tried to explain the precarious nature of the peace situation, however, both sides would not come to any agreements. On April 6, 1994, explosions were heard from the Kigali airport, which resulted from a presidential plane being shot down. The plane was carrying President Habyarimana, who was returning from Tanzania after signing the Peace Accord. It is believed that the Hutu government itself had been responsible for shooting down the plane, however, the Hutus put the blame on the “Tutsi cockroaches.” Within a couple days, one thousand paratroopers seized and commanded the airport. They removed any stranded Western citizen, while leaving all the Africans to die. Hutu extremists then started the mass murders of Tutsis and moderate Hutus, known for being “sellouts.” By April 21, only two weeks later, at least one hundred thousand victims lost their lives. Under pressure from Belgium and the United States, the United Nations had an unanimous vote to remove almost all of their forces, leaving around two hundred troops. While the vote should have been to clearly give aid to Rwanda, the United Nations withdrew their troops, and the result is almost unfathomable. By July of 1994, almost one hundred days after the start of the genocide, approximately eight hundred thousand men, women, and children had lost their lives. The
They had been economically dependent on their exports to the Western powers, such as the United States, however, the West was not dependent on Rwanda, due to the fact that other countries exported the same products, such as Columbia, Brazil, and other African countries. Native Rwandans had been segregated into three racial classifications by the Germans and Belgians: Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa. The high ranking officials had been part of the Tutsis and the Tutsis occupied the better parts of society. However, the Hutus did not live happy lives, such as the Tutsis; ninety percent of the Hutus lived in impoverished conditions, denied education, and denied land ownership. These are all reasons leading to the racial Rwanda genocide, however, arguably the most significant reason may be the issuance of ethnic identity cards which had been imposed by the Belgians. As tensions erupted in the country in 1962, a violent Hutu revolution took place, in which hundreds of Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. Many Tutsis fled Rwanda and returned with a vengeance in 1990, which was the start of the Rwanda Civil War. In 1993, the Belgian-Rusha treaty was signed which allowed the Tutsis to return to Rwanda with the protection of the United Nations. However, this treaty was a fraud as we know a year later, the planned genocide events took place to organize the “final …show more content…
Several Rwandan figures had tried to explain the precarious nature of the peace situation, however, both sides would not come to any agreements. On April 6, 1994, explosions were heard from the Kigali airport, which resulted from a presidential plane being shot down. The plane was carrying President Habyarimana, who was returning from Tanzania after signing the Peace Accord. It is believed that the Hutu government itself had been responsible for shooting down the plane, however, the Hutus put the blame on the “Tutsi cockroaches.” Within a couple days, one thousand paratroopers seized and commanded the airport. They removed any stranded Western citizen, while leaving all the Africans to die. Hutu extremists then started the mass murders of Tutsis and moderate Hutus, known for being “sellouts.” By April 21, only two weeks later, at least one hundred thousand victims lost their lives. Under pressure from Belgium and the United States, the United Nations had an unanimous vote to remove almost all of their forces, leaving around two hundred troops. While the vote should have been to clearly give aid to Rwanda, the United Nations withdrew their troops, and the result is almost unfathomable. By July of 1994, almost one hundred days after the start of the genocide, approximately eight hundred thousand men, women, and children had lost their lives. The