Ghosts of Rwanda Essay - 1374 Words

Ghosts of Rwanda Reflection Does the Genocide in Rwanda have a singular cause? I do not believe so; the cause of genocide in Rwanda in 1994 was due to years of built up hatred between the Tutsis and the Hutus along with many other occurrences. The Rwandan Genocide is no exception with many variables contributing to the horrific events that took place. According to the documentary Ghosts of Rwanda, in 1994, Rwanda experienced a premeditated, systematic and state sponsored genocide with the aim of exterminating those who were ethnically identifiable as Tutsi. Between 500,000 and 800,000 people were killed in a period of 100 days, with around 77 percent of the population registered as Tutsi being murdered. One of the most common†¦show more content†¦Under the power of Tutsi King Rwabugiri, ethnic differences were established when the King implemented a system in which, in return for labour, access to land was given. However, this system only applied to Hutu farmers and exempted Tutsi farmers (Eriksson, 1996). During the German colonization and later the Belgian trusteeship, the Tutsi were also favoured and viewed as superior (Eriksson, 1996). The Belgians increased the emphasis on the distinction of ethnic identity by issuing cards bearing the nationality designations of Rwandans (Klinghoffer, 1998). The colonisation by both Germany and Belgium contributed to an ethnic jealousy in Rwanda through treatment of the Tutsi (O’Halloran, 1995). The general decolonisation in Africa led to the Hutu revolution in which Rwanda underwent the transition from a Tutsi dominated monarchy to a Hutu led independent republic, which resulted in tens of thousands of Tutsi fleeing into exile (Eriksson, 1996). The Akazu aimed to accelerate racist prejudice in Rwanda, first by extending the threat of the RPF to all Tutsi. This was achieved by various staged shootings by the army on the capital Kigali, which were blamed on the Tutsi (Uvin, 1998). Hate propaganda was also used to spread fear and hate against the Tutsi. This propaganda was financed by Akazu members and was in various different mediums including the state radio station (Dadrian, 2004). Also during this period, aShow MoreRelatedThe Documentary Ghost Of Rwanda 987 Words   |  4 PagesThe documentary â€Å"Ghost in Rwanda† illustrates the devastation of the 1994 Genocide where approximately eight hundred thousand Rwandans were exterminated by their own government. The genocide was a result of ongoing conflicts between the Hutu, the ethnic majority in Rwanda, and the Tutsi the ethnic minority. The United Nation assisted in the establishment of a peace agreement between the two warring parties and sent General Romeo Dallai re, UN Force Commander, to Rwanda to ensure the terms of the agreementRead MoreNational Interest And Sovereignty Paper Essay1972 Words   |  8 Pagespolitics during the Cold War era. Through realism and liberalism the actions of global leaders and members of the United Nations will be explained and their actions defined that led to the crisis of Central Africa from 1960 through 1994 and ending in Rwanda. These global state actors have an obligation to protect human rights throughout the world, but in 1994 allowed 800,000 ethnic Tutsi to be brutally murdered in their homes and in the streets of a place that once used to be safe. This all occurredRead MoreThe Rwandan Genocide : A Perspective Analysis Through Media1166 Words   |  5 Pagesland. They whipped us. Now they have come back, these Tutsi rebels. They are murderers. They are cockroaches. Rwanda is our Hutu Land. We must squash the infestation. This is RTLM, Hutu Power Radio. Stay Alert. Watch your neighbors. (Hotel Rwanda) .† This is a part of one of the broadcasts Radio Tà ©là ©vision des Milles Collines (RTLM) used to transmit hate propaganda to the state of Rwanda. From October 1993 to late 1994, the RTLM advanced fearmongering ethnic distinctions and misinformation to maintainRead MoreThe Genocide Of The Rwandan Genocide1307 Words   |  6 Pagesinhabitants of Rwanda were the Twa that were eventually displaced by the Hutu peoples living in the Congo River basin during the tenth century. About five hundred years later, the Tutsi arrived from the north, conquered the Hutu, and ruled them through an elaborate feudal system – Tutsi kings, or mwamis, governed the elite who, in turn, governed the Hutu serfs. This system remained intact for hundreds of years and reached its peak in the middle to late 19th century (â€Å"Rwanda†). Until 1880, Rwanda was governedRead MoreEssay about Rwandan Genocide2279 Words   |  10 PagesRwanda has almost always been somewhat of a melting pot, m uch like other African nations. People of various ethnicities, occupations, and social classes lived in the country without much more trouble than the surrounding nations. Even so, much like other nations, Rwanda still had underlying issues beneath the surface that still had to be faced. Beginning on April 9th, 1994, the genocide had begun, leading to a systematic killing of over 800,000 Rwandans. For what reason were these people killedRead MoreEthnic Conflicts And Its Effects On Post Colonial Societies1418 Words   |  6 Pagesof the earth’s surface had been colonised since the sixteenth century. There were as many as 168 colonies. By the 1960s, after years of fighting, most Western colonial territories had gained independence. The following decades showed how much the ghost of colonisation still loomed over post-colonial societies though. Around the world today, conflict is found in many areas that were once colonised or controlled by Western European powers. The caus e of many of these continuing and uncontrollable conflictsRead MoreGenocide: A Historical Perspective Essay1462 Words   |  6 Pagesseven years since the genocide in Darfur began; over 2.7 million people have been displaced, or killed due to the genocide that takes place in Darfur (â€Å"QA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). In 1994 between the months of April and June approximately 800,000 Tutsis were killed in Rwanda. That is a systematic killing brought out majorly by the Hutus. The genocide was started when the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu occurred. The president’s plane was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994. The HutusRead MoreThe Holocaust and Genocide Essay2354 Words   |  10 Pageshesitance, this is due to many reasons. The United States has a well developed selfesteem in world views that was created over the decades, but when dealing in foreign conflicts America is skeptical. â€Å"The U.S. has no friends, they have interests† (Ghosts of Rwanda). The U.S. interacts with the countries who add to its potential, and most times itÊ ¼s too busy to spend extra finances on genocides occurring 3,000 miles away. â€Å"The worldÊ ¼s foremost superpower, America, has almost never acted to stop a raceRead MoreGovernment And Local Officials During The 100 Day Period3050 Words   |  13 PagesDuring the 100-day period from April 6th to mid-July, 1994, an estimated 800,000–1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, which equaled as much as 20% of the country s total population and 70% of the Tutsi population living in Rwanda at the time. The genocide, which was begun by Hutu extremists in the capital of Kigali, spread throughout the country with astonishing speed and brutality. The Hutu government and local officials provoked ordinary citizens to bring death upon their neighbors. The way the governmentRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Rwandan Genocide2091 Words   |  9 PagesFinding the Right Way to Intervene: Sovereignty Paper In the spring and summer of 1994, Rwanda experienced a genocide that killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people. After seeing the tragedies that took place in Nazi Germany, one would expect the international community to respond quickly and effectively in the case of the Rwandan genocide. However, the killings were largely pushed aside or ignored by the rest of the world, begging the question of when states have the right or duty to betray