Summary
Genocide in Rwanda goes over the history of Genocide and how it affected the
people of Rwanda. In Rwanda
during 1994 there was a 100 day genocide that killed over 500,000 people. The genocide involved the Hutus and
Tutsis.
The Tutsi people were known to raise cattle and generally
be better off than the rest of the people in Rwanda. They also tended to have
lighter complexions and be tall and slender. The Hutus did more common jobs like
gathering grains; they generally have darker complexions and tend to be
stockier.
Rwanda was made up of 90 percent Hutu and only 10 percent
Tutsi. Because the Hutu
made up more of the country in 1973 president Juvénal Habyarimana was elected
and made the Hutu population feel superior to the Tutsis’. The president gave
Hutus and Tutsis identification cards and wrote their names down to keep a
document of the people in Rwanda. Before
this was implemented it was easy for people to go back and forth between a Hutu
and a Tutsi, but this rule made it nearly impossible. This system was the start of the rift
between the two races.
When Habyarimana’s plane was shot down in 1994 by
unknown assailants war broke out. Hutus
blamed the Tutsis for the crash and the Tutsis blamed the Hutu extremists who
believed that Habyarimana was being to kind on the Tutsis. Hutus started to
slaughter the Tutsis, even those who were completely innocent. Tutsis fled to neighboring countries,
and became refugees. After the Genocide the Tutsis were allowed to come back
into Rwanda. Ten years later, the economy is starting to rebuild again and the
hopes of the Rwandan people are picking up.
Key Passages
"Traditionally, Rwandan Hutus practiced subsistence
agriculture to survive. The
Tutsis, however, typically raised cattle---which was a much more lucrative
occupation. Despite sharing
the same culture, a rift grew between the two populations.” (9)
“By 1991, the Tutsi population was less than half of what
it was prior to the Hutu Revolution.” (13)
“The Arusha Accords were intended to end the violence
against the Tutsis and halt the anti-Hutu RPT attacks. The accords stripped Habyarimana of
much of his power, transferring it to and interim Rwandan government.” (20)
“The government tried to maintain the appearance of normal
life during the genocide. People
still went to work, and children still went to school. The government, police, and militias
were all complicit in the genocide, and there were no media outlets criticizing
what was going on.” (33)
Thought-Provoking Questions
1. What was the main cause of the
Genocide in Rwanda? Do you think it was inevitable, or could something have
been done for it to be stopped?
2. Do you think that the United Nations
should have played more of a roll in the Genocide? Should they have deployed
more troops?
3. How could we learn from what
happened in Rwanda, to ensure that it doesn’t happen again in another place or
even in Rwanda again?
4. Why do you think that Rwanda tried
to cover up what was happening within their country? Do you think it was a
pride thing, or they just didn’t want outside help?
5. Although the Tutsis were better off
than the Hutus, why do you think the Hutus went against the Tutsis, when before
they seemed to be living in peace? What do you think was the turning point?
Citation
Spalding, Frank. Genocide
In Rwanda. New York:
Rosen Group, 2009. Print.
Summary with my topic
This book fits in with my topic because it is about
genocide. When I first
started to read this book my goal was to learn more about what genocide is, and
how it varies from place to place. The
genocide in Rwanda is similar to others I have read about previously.
To me it seems as though genocides all involve the same
factors that make them what they are. Two
opposing groups, with one group believing they are somehow superior to the
other. Genocide is not
something that should be taken lightly, whether it lasts 100 days, like the
Rwandan genocide, or longer.
