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Germay in control
Germany ruled Rwanda in 1890. Germany had used the Tutsis people for the colonial rule to help make money ,etc. In 1923, Belgium accepted the League of Nations Mandate to govern Rwanda. The Belgians didn't like the mix of people and they had separated the people into different groups away from each other. They are now known as the Hutu and Tutsi groups. -
Tutsi Colonial Rule
Belgium chose Tutsi to rule for almost all of the colonial time because they were favored for their goods. During Tutsi ruling, identification cards were handed out to everyone, no one could switch groups for benefits once they had their cards. In the year of 1950 Belgium switched and announced Hutu the new colonial rule. -
Genocide Law
The United Nations declared that genocide is crime under international law. This solved some problems for a while because no one would start a genocide, since they didn't want to be punished. -
Rebellion Begins
After Rwanda agreed to be independent under the Hutu government the Tutsi people were very angry. They did not like this change and out of anger started hate between the Hutu people. Shortley after the hatred had started, about 150,000 Tutsis were forced into exile.(The state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.) -
Tutsi Monarchy abolished
Anti-colonial, and anti-Tutsi sentiment resulted in Belgium granting national independence in 1961. Tutsi was officially not in control. They held elections and results decided that the representative government was dominated by the Hutu under President Gregoire kayibanda. He was the leader of the goverment until 1973. -
The situation Gets Worse
The situation worsened when Juvenal Habyarimana (Hutu) gained power in 1973. Juvenal Habyarimana was the third president of the Republic of Rwanda. He ruled for 20 years, from 1973-1994, having the longest presidential position. He supported the hatred between Tutsi and when he was assasignated on April 6,1994, it caused greater ethnic tension. He died at the age of 57, his airplane was shot down while he was on a trip with the president of Burundi. -
Rwanda Patriotic Front
The RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) was created in 1987 by the Tutsi-led monarchy and refugees, but was over thrown by "social revolution" leader, Gregoire Kayibanda. 50,000 to 70,000 Tutsi arrived in the refugee, and more ethnic violence was the result in a refugee population of about 200,000 by 1990. Currently ruling Rwanda, the president is Paul kagame. Promotes democratic socialism and left-wing nationalism. -
Civil War
In 1990, the RPF invaded the country causing a Civil War. They had 6,000 Tutsi refugees who also shot down Habyarimana`s plane causing more tension and more rage in the war. The civil war did not get bad until 1994, when the genocide began. -
Genocide
The Genocide began on April 16, 1994, because of the death of the Habyarimana. The Hutu group grew ferious because of the fact Tutsi killed their leader. They decided to kill everyone, even if the were breaking the law. A estimation of the death rate is between 50,000 to 1,000,000, 20% of the countries population. -
Tutsi Wins
That same year, a few months later during July, the Tutsi won the war. The Hutu fled to nieghboring countries because of their fear of Tutsi army. The Tutsi RPF took control over the goverment, and Kagame formed a unity with the Hutu president Bizimungu. Rwanda is still peaceful to this day.
