Rwanda Genocide By: Lauren and Emily

Where is Rwanda? Rwanda is in mid Africa Population: 11.78 million Very close to the equator

What Happened? Hutu ethnic majority murdered 800,000 people Targeted the Tutsi minority Genocide spread throughout the country

When Did This Happen? The Rwanda genocide started April 7, 1994 Lasted 100 days until July 1994

How Did It Happen? Hutus set up roadblocks and barricades and began slaughtering Tutsis

Why did It Happen? Major General Juvenal Habyarimana came into power, he was a moderate Hutu Habyarimana became president and founded the National Revolutionary Movement for Development Tutsi refugees (RPF) invaded Rwanda because of him becoming president A ceasefire in these hostilities led to negotiations between the government and the RPF (civil war) Habyarimana signed an agreement calling for the creation of a transition government that would include the RPF This angered Hutu extremists, wanting to destroy all Tutsis afterwards

Genocide and Civil War These mass killings spread from Kigali to the rest of the country 800,000 people were killed over the next three months During this period, the government and local officials called on ordinary Rwandan civilians to murder their neighbors The RPF resumed fighting, and the civil war continued along with the genocide

The People’s Response More than 2 million people (Hutus), fled Rwanda They crowded into refugee camps in Congo and other neighboring countries After their victory, the RPF established a coalition government with a Hutu as president Habyarimana’s party, which played a key role in organizing the genocide, was outlawed A new constitution was adopted in 2003 which eliminated reference to ethnicity

International Response The international community stood on the sidelines during the Rwanda genocide A U.N. Security Council vote in April 1994 led to the withdrawal of most peacekeeping operations created to aid with governmental transition As reports of the genocide spread, the security council voted in May to supply troops However, by the time they arrived in the genocide had been over for months

Aftermath of Rwanda Genocide Many prominent figures in the international community acknowledged the outside world’s obliviousness to the genocide and their failure to act After the RFP victory, the U.N.’s operation was brought back up to strength It remains as one of the largest humanitarian relief efforts in history

Pledge Awareness and Support Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people We acknowledge that genocide is a reoccurring problem faced by nations The steps to relief are acknowledging the problem, educating others, and most important, taking action We pledge we will not just watch this wrong-doing, but take action and promote awareness

Works Cited http://www.history.com/topics/rwandan-genocide https://www.google.com/search?q=rwanda&safe=strict&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3ucTAp7vKAhXEdT4KHQwvBM4Q_AUICCgD#imgrc=Hlo6kblx9C1olM%3A https://www.google.com/search?q=rwanda+genocide&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNtvTUqLvKAhXCPz4KHQXxCM0Q_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=643#imgrc=50k9YF2NqfEvVM%3A http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/genocide_in_rwanda.htm https://www.google.com/search?q=rwanda+genocide&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNtvTUqLvKAhXCPz4KHQXxCM0Q_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=643#imgrc=iHbQiATgi87W0M%3A https://www.google.com/search?q=rwandan+genocide&safe=strict&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipgo7y5dnKAhUCCz4KHbY6B8UQ_AUIBygB&biw=1280&bih=899#imgrc=M_9erD1PX7wOoM%3A