Rwanda+Genocide+G6

=Rwanda Genocide-1994=

Overview[[image:rwanda.jpg width="149" height="100" align="right" caption="Rwanda Flag" link="http://spung.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/rwanda-flag3.gif"]]
The Rwandan Genocide started in April of 1994. An estimated 800,000 people died in just 100 days. The death toll is estimated between 500,000 to 1,000,000 people. Most of the people that died were Tutsis. Many of the people who caused the violence were the Hutus. The Hutus and Tutsis were the native people of Rwanda. People believe that the violence began when former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a hutu, died when his plane crashed. Reports said that current President Paul Kagame ordered a rocket attack on the former president. Within hours of the attack, violence sparked throughout the country.

Central Issue
The death of the president wasn't the only reason for this violence. They had been in disagreement for years, ever since the Belgians arrived in 1916. They thought that the Tutsis were superior so they had better job opprtunities and education. This forced the Hutus to control this anger for years. For the following decades the Tutsis were used as scapegoats for every crisis. In the genocide military recruits throughout the country were dispatched to carry out a wave of slaughter. Encouraged by an unofficial militia group called the Interahamwe, which means those who attack together, was mobilized. At its peak the group had 30,000 plus people. Soldiers and police officers ordered Hutus to murder their neighboring Tutsis.

Conclusion/Historical Significance
In June of 1994 the Rwandan Patriotic Front captured the presidential guard and the government was broked down. They ordered everyone to cease fire. On july 19th a new multi-ethnic system was created allowing all refugees who fled to Burundi, Tanzania, and other countries to a safe return to Rwanda. Approximately 2 million hutus fed from Rwanda. Thousands of them died to disease epidemics or in refugee camps. The united States created the Operation Support Hope airlift from July to September to stabalize the situations in the camps.

References (2009-10.1.2.F)