On April 6, 1994 the death of the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi sparked a massacre within Rwanda, known as the Rwandan Genocide. Genocide is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the “deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. ” Social bias, discrimination and prejudice ultimately lead to the death of up to 1,000,000 Rwandans. What social roles lead to this massacre and what precautions can be taken to prevent an event like this? Based on research and information received in lectures I have investigated the causes that have led to the Rwandan genocide of the Tutsi people and developed a recovery plan ensuring that the events described will not happen again.
600 years ago, in …show more content…
In 1897 the Germans colonialized Rwanda, but had very weak control over the government. (San & Fernandez, 2006) Ultimately allowing the Rwandans to govern themselves. The Tutsi ethnic group gained “superiority” over the Hutus, although the Hutus made up 85% of the population in Rwanda. (United Nations, 1999) In the political eye of Rwanda, the Hutus were more liked, this was displayed in military jobs as well as other public services, and this is a distinct representation of racial discrimination. (San & Fernandez, 2006) Tensions in Rwanda have been prevalent for decades, a history if ethnic discrimination and oppression has scarred Rwanda. Both the Hutu and the Tutsi have been oppressed by one another, the Hutu, early in their history, and the Tutsi in more modern times. The tensions only grew when the government enforced citizens of Rwanda to carry identification cards stating if they are Hutu or Tutsi. This only created more division between the ethnic groups. (Green & Seher, "What Role Does Prejudice Play In Ethnic Conflict?” 2003) …show more content…
The government of Rwanda favored the Hutu people, providing them with jobs before the Tutsi. Dr. Walter explains in the Prejudice and Discrimination lecture that threat is rooted in fear and effects our self-esteem. When a person is threatened they become aroused, connecting both the Aggression lecture as well as the Prejudice and Discrimination lecture by Dr. Walter I have concluded that when a person becomes aroused they also become more aggressive. The Tutsi’s felt threatened by the Hutus, this heightened arousal predisposed the Tutsi’s to act aggressively and “fight back”. (T. Walter, Prejudice and Discrimination, & Aggression) More than 1,000,000 Rwandan citizens lost their lives during the genocide, aggression is a very prevalent characteristic of this genocide. An interesting connection I discovered in my research is that, Rwanda is located in East Africa, directly below the equator. Dr. Walter mentioned in the Aggression lectures that high temperatures are related to higher aggression in people. Since Rwanda is located in a very high temperature setting, the aggression of the people living there may naturally be more extreme. Aggression in Rwanda can also be related to the exposure to the media. Many forms of media were available in Rwanda, however, the radio was the most popular choice. At the time the Hutu extremists developed a radio station which kept up with the efforts of the
600 years ago, in …show more content…
In 1897 the Germans colonialized Rwanda, but had very weak control over the government. (San & Fernandez, 2006) Ultimately allowing the Rwandans to govern themselves. The Tutsi ethnic group gained “superiority” over the Hutus, although the Hutus made up 85% of the population in Rwanda. (United Nations, 1999) In the political eye of Rwanda, the Hutus were more liked, this was displayed in military jobs as well as other public services, and this is a distinct representation of racial discrimination. (San & Fernandez, 2006) Tensions in Rwanda have been prevalent for decades, a history if ethnic discrimination and oppression has scarred Rwanda. Both the Hutu and the Tutsi have been oppressed by one another, the Hutu, early in their history, and the Tutsi in more modern times. The tensions only grew when the government enforced citizens of Rwanda to carry identification cards stating if they are Hutu or Tutsi. This only created more division between the ethnic groups. (Green & Seher, "What Role Does Prejudice Play In Ethnic Conflict?” 2003) …show more content…
The government of Rwanda favored the Hutu people, providing them with jobs before the Tutsi. Dr. Walter explains in the Prejudice and Discrimination lecture that threat is rooted in fear and effects our self-esteem. When a person is threatened they become aroused, connecting both the Aggression lecture as well as the Prejudice and Discrimination lecture by Dr. Walter I have concluded that when a person becomes aroused they also become more aggressive. The Tutsi’s felt threatened by the Hutus, this heightened arousal predisposed the Tutsi’s to act aggressively and “fight back”. (T. Walter, Prejudice and Discrimination, & Aggression) More than 1,000,000 Rwandan citizens lost their lives during the genocide, aggression is a very prevalent characteristic of this genocide. An interesting connection I discovered in my research is that, Rwanda is located in East Africa, directly below the equator. Dr. Walter mentioned in the Aggression lectures that high temperatures are related to higher aggression in people. Since Rwanda is located in a very high temperature setting, the aggression of the people living there may naturally be more extreme. Aggression in Rwanda can also be related to the exposure to the media. Many forms of media were available in Rwanda, however, the radio was the most popular choice. At the time the Hutu extremists developed a radio station which kept up with the efforts of the