RWANDA GENOCIDE



RWANDA GENOCIDE

Introduction

Rwanda is a small nation in Africa well-known as being the host of the most devastating violation of human rights. Taken place between April and July of 1994, the world’s worst genocide erupted with a death toll of nearly one million Rwandans. This has been the conclusion after tensions between two tribes within the country, the Hutu and the Tutsi clans.

History

In 1890 Rwanda and Burundi became a part of German East Africa. However, before being annexed Germany, Rwanda was ruled mainly by the Hutu clan and the Burundi was ruled by the Tutsi clan. In 1916, during World War I, the Belgian Troops occupied the land and after the war, it was mandated by the Belgian League of Nations, along with Burundi, under the name of Ruanda-Urundi. Then in 1946 the mandate was made a UN trust territory. During this time this land was ruled by the Hutu and Tutsi clan. Belgium at first maintained Tutsi dominance but eventually encouraged power sharing between Hutu and Tutsi. Then ethnic tensions began to abrupt and led to a civil war, forcing many Tutsi into exile in neighbouring countries such as Uganda. On the 1st July 1962 Ruanda became the independent nation of Rwanda and it was under Hutu rule.

The Build Up To The 1994 Genocide

The lead up to the 1994 crisis mainly started in the 1990s. It started with the Tutsi rebels (Rwandan Patriotic Front) in exile in Uganda invaded their nation to attempt to overthrow the Hutu-led Rwandan government. However, in 1993 peace treaties were signed by the Hutu and the Tutsi. They made a coalition government to make it no longer a Hutu rule nation.

Nevertheless, this peace deal became a deal in vain when the presidents of both Rwanda and Burundi Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and Burundi's Cyprian Ntayamira were killed in a plane crash in 1994. The group responsible for this action is still unknown. Nevertheless, some theories have been made. Some believe it was done by Hutu extremists who did not like the idea of this merging of power and some believe that the French may have been involved. Also, the recent Rwandan president Mr Kagame was also accused to be the one who gave the assassination order. This accusation made by a French Judge was denied by Mr Kagame but he openly admitted his hatred for the Rwandan President who was killed in the plane crash and called him a dictator.

This sparked the beginning of the Genocide.

What Happened In The 1994 Genocide?

After the plane crash within one hour the 100 days of horror started. The presidential guards of Rwanda from the Hutu clan, elements of the Rwandan armed forces and the extremist militia started to murder the Tutsi people and those who are most likely to resist the plan of genocide. This included the opposition Prime Minister, the president of the constitutional court, priests, leaders of the Liberal Party and Social Democratic Party, the Information Minister, and the negotiator of the Arusha Accord. They made road blockades to carry out their actions. It is estimated that between 500 000 – 1 000 000 people have been killed during this time. It is believed that this genocide was carefully planned out by the Hutu government.

This genocide was put to an end on 4th July 1994 by the Rwandan Patriotic Force. They had machinery against Hutus who used knives. They first took the capital of Kigali and later announced a government comprised of mostly RPF leaders. If it wasn’t for the RPF’s the genocide would have continued. With the arrival of the RPF many who took part in this slaughter fled to the republic of Congo.

How has human rights been threatened?

In this case many human rights have been violated.

Firstly, article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states “everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” has been breached. This breach has been clearly manifested by the actions of the Hutu extremists. They have slaughtered the innocent lives of the Tutsi’s and all other opposition within Rwanda.

Another article from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is article 9 which states “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile”. During this war time many people was “forced” into exile. If they had not moved away they would have been murdered. Also, there are many cases where people have been arrested due to hatred.

International and Australian Response

Many would agree that more could have been done by International organisations such as the UN. The French played a vital yet a late role in restoring peace within the nation. Also, Canada did well in leading a UN force into Rwanda although it was too late. Australia did not have any role in regaining peace during this time or to prevent it. However, they have had a charity set up to help survivors. Many years on the UN admits their slow response to this situation and has put in steps to prevent or stop future genocide attempts.

Australia did not have a direct role in preventing or helping to create peace during this time. However, 12 years later in 2006 an Australian run charity has been made to help out any Rwandan in Australia and in Rwanda. The “Rwandan Refugee Support Group” situated in Southern Tasmania, with a website called “Rwanda Coffee Club” aims to raise money to assist the survivors of the 1994 crisis.

The UN’s response to this genocide was definitely slow. The international community only took the first week to evacuate their own citizens and fled the genocide. Only the UN mission (UNAMIR), created in October 1993 to keep the peace and assist the governmental transition in Rwanda was left to create pace and to mediate between the RPF and the Rwandan army after the RPF struck from Rwanda to protect Tutsi and rescue their battalion encamped in Kigali as part of the Accord.  On April 21, 1994, the United Nations Security Council, voted to withdraw all but a remnant of UNAMIR. It was until May 16, due to mount of the media, and diplomatic reports, the UN met and debated and finally arrived at a compromise to create UNAMIR II with a robust force of 5,500 troops. However, typically the world failed to deliver until months after the genocide ended led by Canada. Furthermore, it was the US who had a large role in this delay because they did want a repeat of their peace-keeping involvement in Somilia which was a disaster. A quote by George bush was, “we should not send our troops to stop ethnic cleansing and genocide outside of our strategic interest. We would not send US troops into Rwanda.”

Because of the UN’s dely and its concern for its image as a former patron and arms supplier of the Habyarimana regime, France announced on June 15 that it would intervene to stop the genocide. The French successfully set up a “humanitarian zone” in the southwest corner of Rwanda. Their intervention succeeded in saving tens of thousands of Tutsi lives. However, it also allowed safe exit of many of the genocide’s plotters, who were allies of the French.

The French’s involvement is still a mystery. They seemed at times helping the actions of genocide and only cleaned up their own mess.

Many years on however, the UN has made progress to prevent future genocide and steps to stop one if one is to be attempted. Steps outlined by Mr Annam in 2004 are as follows:

1. Prevent armed conflict by addressing the issues that cause it.

2. Protecting civilians during war

3. End impunity for those who have committed such crimes.

4. Advisers should work closely with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to collect information on potential or existing situations or threats of genocide

5. Swift and decisive action in response to warnings of genocide.

How effectively has the human rights been protected?

It can be concluded that Human rights was not protected effectively. The international response was slow and the French’s involvement and its reasons are still a mystery. However, the French were the only nation to fully commit in creating peace. We should learn from this case to better similar future cases. More intervention by the UN should be achieved.

Also, the United States president at that time, Mr Bush’s action towards Rwanda was not upholding moral human rights. Some say his choice of exclusion to the Rwanda genocide was due to economic. The relief in Rwanda costed the international community 1.2 billion dollars.





(aus’ response)















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Map of Rwanda 1

Plane crash in April 1994

UN flag

French troops supporting genocide

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