This is a simplified and potted history of the events leading up to the 1994
Genocide, as told to us in country by a
former member of the RPF.
The problems in Rwanda had been brewing for many years, at least since
Belgian colonisation after WWI. Until then, Rwanda had been at peace for about
900 years and was ruled by kings from the
affluent Tutsi minority. Apparently the ethnic distinctions between the Tutsis of
northern origin and the Hutu from the south had blurred somewhat over the
years. We were told that the definition was an economic one - that if you owned
10 cows you were a Tutsi; less than 10 cows a Hutu. However with the classic "Divide and Rule"
philosophy, the Belgians encouraged emphasised tribal differences and rivalry, finally
supporting the Hutus to take control of the country in the 1950s. This resulted in civil war
and the country’s first recorded genocide. Large numbers of Tutsis were exiled
into Uganda and surrounding African nations where they continued to live until
1994.
The
children born of these exiles were never made to feel a part of their birth
country. They were Rwandans who were not allowed to live in their own country
and had a strong urge to return to their roots. In
1990 a small army was raised in Uganda, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and an
attempt was made to take the country by force. This did not succeed, however in
an attempt to pressure the Rwandan Government into allowing the exiles to return
home, the RPF waged small scale guerilla warfare and occupied a small area of
territory in the north west of the country.
After
several failures, attempts began in earnest in 1993 to find a peaceful
settlement to the situation, with the UN providing a small force of military
observers and advisers, UNAMIR. Meanwhile, Hutu extremists within the government
did not want peace nor the concessions and compromises it would bring. In
order to protect themselves and their country they spread propaganda about the
"Tutsi Devils" and began arming and training large portions of the
civilian population into a militia, the Interahamwe.
Only a very small proportion of this makeshift army were armed with guns, most
making do with machetes and knives.
On the 6th of April, 1994 when returning from peace talks at Arusha in
Tanzania, the aircraft carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot
down, perhaps by
these extremists, killing all on aboard. Radio stations started urging the
populace to kill all Tutsis and within hours the Government Forces (FRGF)
and Interahamwe went on a rampage, indiscriminately killing Tutsis as well as
intellectuals, doctors, nurses and other professionals. In total 800,000 to one
million people died and much of the country’s infrastructure was
destroyed.
The RPF then took advantage of the chaos to seize control of the country,
fighting a civil war lasting several months. During this war, a large percentage
of the local population including Interahamwe leaders fled the advancing Tutsi
army and congregated in refugee camps across the border or Internally Displaced
Persons (IDP) camps within the country. The RPF were finally victorious in July
94 and set about rebuilding the country, maintaining control through their
military wing the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA).
Also in July, the second UNAMIR mission (UNAMIR
II) was established and
Australia was requested to supply medical support as part of a 5,000 plus
Peacekeeping Force.
For an alternative account, read these articles:
An eye
witness testimony to the shooting down of the Rwandan President Plane
Bystanders
to Genocide
More links can be found at:
Interahamwe means "those who fight together in the
Kinyarwanda language"
Note: the Interahamwe still exist and are now waging guerilla
warfare in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former
Zaire). Check out the links on my The
Aftermath Links page.
For more on Australia's involvement in UNAMIR II, check out
the AUSMED section.
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