In 1884, Western European countries met up in Berlin for a conference that would change the history of Africa forever. France, Britain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Italy met together in Berlin to plan the colonization of Africa. Germany won Rwanda and the Tutsis were made the more dominant and powerful ethnic group when the Hutus were majority.
History of the Rwandan Genocide
1884: Berlin Conference
Map of Colonial Rule in Africa
Early 1900s
World War I ended in 1919 and at that time, Belgium had taken claim of Rwanda and Burundi. They no longer belonged to Germany.
In 1933, Belgians gave Rwandans a card. It was an identification card that was given to all people in the country that classified them as either Tutsi, Hutu, or Twa.
An example of how the identification cards would look like.
Mid 1900s
In 1959, Hutus started a rebellion against Tutsis and Belgians. The party began to become militarized and soon, Tutsis had created their own militarized party.
In the fall of that same year, Hutu politician Dominique Mbomyumutwa was rumored to have been beaten by Tutsis and in response to that, the Wind of Destruction has begun and an estimated amount of 20,000 to 100,000 Tutsis were killed by Hutus.
Belgium granted full independence to Rwanda-Urundi with oversight from the United Nations on July 1, 1962.
Photo of Rwandan Revolution / Wind of Destruction
Late 1990s & Ending
A political party was created in Uganda named the Rwandan Political Front (RPF) in 1988.
The RPF was set in Uganda mostly to help Tutsi and when they invaded Rwanda on October 1990, the Rwandan Civil War had begun. One day after that, Tutsi commander Fred Rwigema was killed and the RPF's incursion was successful. The Rwandan Army had gotten help from Belgium, France, and Zaire and forced the RPF back into Uganda.
Official flag of Rwandan Political Front
In January 1991, the Rwandan Political Front began to start attacking back in Rwanda again. The first attack was set in Ruhengeri.
A photo of Ruhengeri from the sky
Tutsi and Hutu had agreed to stop fighting and the parties began a peace negotiation process that was headquarted in Arusha, Tanzania.
Hutu extremists are outraged by the Arusha Accords, but it is agreed on and opened spots in the government for both Hutu and Tutsi.