Overview Of Genocide In Rwanda

It has been nearly 20 years since the horrible and inhuman atrocities of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda that engulfed the lives of more than a million in three months. Because of this, Rwanda has embarked on eminent hardships but the only way towards national unity is reconciliation and the processes of forgiveness. This national endeavor that was initially aimed at restoring national unity, strengthening national values and reclaiming Rwandese common identity and dignity, has achieved commendable successes. The reason behind this slow but progressive journey is attributed to mechanisms and social justice approaches that were applied in Rwanda. These mechanisms were meant to redress inherent identity crises’ and conflicts that lived and spread amongst the Rwandan population since the advent of colonial era and well before.

The Rwandan population is composed of three ethnic groups: a Hutu majority, a Tutsi minority and a small number of indigenous Twa.. Colonial oral and written history of Rwanda reveal how the Tutsi minority had always been privileged to be Kings. These inequalities and privileges were detrimental to the majority Hutu, especially in regards to future Kingship. This ignited a long harbored resentment until the Hutus began to mobilize and prepare retribution.

Amongst the winds of independence of many African countries in 1960s, Rwanda also sought Independence from Belgian auspices. Rwandan independence of 1962 went far beyond freeing themselves from Belgian Masters; it was also a time when the Hutus seized this opportunity to overthrow the monarchy rule that had traditionally belonged to Tutsi ethnic minority. The first elected President Gregory Kayibanda in his victory speech, stated that it was a sweeping victory i...

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...t of myths about our origins and differences, we have heard as well many stories of our common spirit and similarities for so long and, in fact the way we grappled with Genocide aftermaths prove how united we are, always have been and how far stronger we can reach. We have so far successfully managed to; restore and set forth national identity as Rwandans, laid down and revived national values and taboos. If this logic of putting behind what is in past in the past and look forward to the future can be embraced by every Rwandan, the idea of understanding that what matters most is not whom I survived but why I survived, then the country would be truly called a Rwanda of Rwandans not Rwanda of Hutus and Tutsis where each will ever desire to be on the top of the other.