Rwanda is located on the East coast of Africa.
Rwanda
In 100 days over 800,000 people were slaughtered
Rwanda was split into two major ethnic groups the Hutu and the Tutsi. Along with smaller groups such as the Twa and Pygmy group. In 1973 Major General Juvenal Habyarimana a moderate Hulu was put in power.
Major General Juvenal ruled in Rwanda for the next two decades. During this time he created a new political party called the National Movement for Development.
In 1990 the first wave of genocide began. The forces of the RPF or the Rwandese Patriotic Front invaded Rwanda from Uganda. Due to this general Juvenal orchestrated massacres of the Tutsi, killing hundreds of them.
The official start of the Genocide began on April 6th, 1994 when a plane carrying General Juvenal and Cyprien Ntyaryamira was shot down. Due to this crash, there were no survivors. In reaction to this event, the Rwanda armed forces and Hutu militia slaughtered Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Many say that the plane was purposely shot down by the Hutus to start a genocide.
In the beginning lists of opponents were handed out to the militia to be murdered alongside their families. These people were killed with mostly machetes that were kept around their homes. Neighbors killed neighbors and even husbands killed wives under the threat that they would be killed if they didn't do it. Women were also taken and used as sex slaves. Radio channels also began to broadcast the killings and influence the killing of neighbors.
Within three months/100 days 800,000 Rwandans were murdered.
Did you know?
Even priests and nuns have been convicted of killing people, including some who sought shelter in churches.
Did you know?
Rwanda officials rewarded the killers with food, drugs, money, and drinks.
During the civil war the RPF began to take back and control a majority of the country again. When they officially won the war the RPF established a new government which played a key role in controlling the genocide.
As the genocide was happening a civil war was also taking place. Due to this 2 million Rwandans fled to nearby countries and refugee camps.
Did you know?
Despite its colossal scale, this genocide was carried out almost entirely by hand, usually using machetes and clubs
During this genocide, many countries remained on the sideline not helping out with the ongoing issues in Rwanda. The only country to step in and aid in the genocide was France. They set up a humanitarian zone that saved thousands of Tutsi.