In the beginning, the colonial power, Belgium, believed the Tutsi population were worthier compared to the Hutu and Twa, putting Tutsi's in control. However, as the colonial rule ended, the Hutu's were given more power and began to remove the Tutsi's out of Rwanda and lowered their population. The Tutsi's ruling angered the Hutu's, causing many Hutu's to loathe them. When the Tutsi's were removed from having power, the Hutu's were determined to maintain their power because of their fear of the Tutsi's taking it back. Making problems even worse, a civil war began in 1990 when a group named the Rwandan Patriotic Front(RPF: contained a majority of Tutsi's) formed, and launched an offensive against Rwanda. The RPF blamed the government for not assisting the Tutsi refugees. With many attempts to making a negotiation, both parties finally came to an agreement in 1992.
A chain of violence started, aiming towards Tutsi's and anyone associated with a Tutsi citizen when the Rwandan president was shot down while on his way home on April 6, 1994. Hutu rebels had removed Rwanda's leader within a day. They had surrounded the capital and took over the streets. The fall of Rwandan's leader empowered Hutu's to take over the country, aiming to harm all Tutsi's. The radio station was also taken over, making those who were committing the crimes feel less guilty. The RPF fought back as things escalated, but they could not fully take the country back and protect the Tutsi's because of how powerful Hutu rebels had become. Unfortunately, rape was extremely common during this genocide. There is not an exact number, however, it is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women were raped. The RPF had finally taken a majority of the country back by early July. The Hutus involved were scared for their lives, which resulted in them fleeing the country. People were tortured, they watched their loved ones die and were petrified of losing their own life. 100,000 children were estimated to have been orphaned, abducted or abandoned. To this day, twenty-six percent of the Rwandan population continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and people are also being forced to live in extreme poverty.
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A chain of violence started, aiming towards Tutsi's and anyone associated with a Tutsi citizen when the Rwandan president was shot down while on his way home on April 6, 1994. Hutu rebels had removed Rwanda's leader within a day. They had surrounded the capital and took over the streets. The fall of Rwandan's leader empowered Hutu's to take over the country, aiming to harm all Tutsi's. The radio station was also taken over, making those who were committing the crimes feel less guilty. The RPF fought back as things escalated, but they could not fully take the country back and protect the Tutsi's because of how powerful Hutu rebels had become. Unfortunately, rape was extremely common during this genocide. There is not an exact number, however, it is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women were raped. The RPF had finally taken a majority of the country back by early July. The Hutus involved were scared for their lives, which resulted in them fleeing the country. People were tortured, they watched their loved ones die and were petrified of losing their own life. 100,000 children were estimated to have been orphaned, abducted or abandoned. To this day, twenty-six percent of the Rwandan population continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and people are also being forced to live in extreme poverty.
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“Rwanda can be a paradise again, but it will take the love of the entire world…and that’s as it should be,
for what happened in Rwanda happened to us all – humanity was wounded by the genocide.”
– Immacuée Ilibagiza, Rwandan author
YouTube video of survivor
for what happened in Rwanda happened to us all – humanity was wounded by the genocide.”
– Immacuée Ilibagiza, Rwandan author
YouTube video of survivor
Paul Rusesabagina was the manager of the hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, 20 years ago. He had the courage to step up for his family, along with the hundreds of other Tutsi's sheltered in his hotel during this genocide. He sheltered more then 1,000 people in his hotel, providing everything he could. When water ran out, he used the water from the pool so they wouldn't die from dehydration. Paul smuggled in food so they wouldn't starve, and held off the militia who came to the hotel by bribing them with alcohol and cigars. He was a true hero during this time, and if it weren't for him, hundreds of other innocent people would have also been murdered.