Research Papers /
Rwanda Genocide Research Essay. [3]
I have to write an argumentative research essay on the Rwanda Genocide. So far I have this much (posted below) constructive criticism, pointers and amy kind of help is much appreciated! thanks!
Rwanda is a small country located deep in the middle of Africa. It was colonized by the Belgians and became independent of their rule in 1962. According to the book, Governments Rights: A Global Guide to Citizens Rights and Responsibilities 2006, by Mark A. Drumbl and Michelle S. Lyonate, the population of Rwanda is made up of three ethnic tribes the Twa, the Hutu and the Tutsi. The Hutu is the larger tribe of the three and they are the crop-growers and agriculturist. The Tutsi are the cattle herders and land owners. Long before Rwanda was colonized, the Hutus and the Tutsis worked side by side working the land for their survival (Drumbl and Lyonate, 69). Timothy Longman, the author of The Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, writes that historians theorize that when the colonists arrived they planted the seed of resentment between the two ethnic groups when they chose to put the Tutsis in administrative and authoritative positions over the Hutus (Longman, 925). The selection of the Tutsis over the Hutus was simply based on their appearance. They saw that the Tutsis were taller, thinner and more European looking and therefore better suited to rule over the Hutus. The Hutus were delegated to do all the labor. Educational opportunities were made available to the Tutsis, while the Hutu population was left to grow poorer and more resentful of the Tutsis (Longman, 926).
In the 1950s the Catholic missionaries came to Rwanda and they began to encourage the Hutus to see how they have been oppressed and treated unfairly. The discontentment and resentment of the Tutsis by the Hutus began to build and in 1959, there was a rebellion and uprising that caused many of the Tutsis into exile into the neighboring countries of Zaire, Burundi and Uganda, leaving the Hutus in control of Rwanda. In 1962 Rwanda gained its independence from the Belgians, however before the Belgians left, they allowed the Hutus became to become the governing body in power. Now that the roles were reversed, the Hutus y began to take their revenge on the Tutsis who were still living in Rwanda. They would confiscate their land and would bar them from higher education in secondary schools and universities (Longman, 927). The Hutu government faced internal conflicts and tensions among the two groups kept increasing. Meanwhile in the Tutsis in exile formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RFP) and trained their soldier and waited for the day that they would seek their revenge on the Hutus (Longman, 928). Since its independence from Belgium and up until the 1990s there have been internal conflicts and confrontations among the Tutsis and the Hutus. Under each President's regime starting with Gregoire Kayabandi in 1962 and until 1994 when Habyarimana was in power, the promotion of ethnic cleansing and ridding Rwanda and its neighboring countries of all Tutsis was part of the agenda. Tutsis that where in exile in neighboring countries that wanted to come back to their homeland where denied entry and where told that there was no room for them (Longman, 928). Economically Rwanda was suffering under the Habyarimana's corrupt rule and he would divert the Attention of the people from what was going by staging fake attacks and blaming them on the RFP and the Tutsis to further his agenda of having Rwandans develop even more hatred and anger against the Tutsis and to instigate more violence against them. His plan was to ultimately get rid of all Tutsis and any Hutus that were sympathetic to them (Longman, 929).On April 6, 1994, on its way back from a summit in Tanzanya, the plane le that was carrying President Habyariman was shot down and he was killed. Although it has never been established who was responsible for shooting the plane, this incident provided enough of a reason for the Hutu extremists to take over the government and begin one of the most savage genocide in history. Road blocks were set up to stop all cars to identify all Tutsis and to kill them. They would also go from house to house and slaughter all those identified as Tutsis. Innocent children, women and men were savagely raped, killed and mutilated. This horrific ethnic cleansing did not stop until July 1994 when the RPF were able to enter Rwanda and slowly take over the country and gain full control. Genocide and ethnic cleansing have been occurring throughout history. Some individuals believe that they are superior to others based on the differences of their appearance, religion or
color of skin.