Why did the Belgians put the Tutsis in charge?
Each citizen was issued a racial identification card, which defined one as legally Hutu or Tutsi. The Belgians gave the majority of political control to the Tutsis. Tutsis began to believe the myth of their superior racial status, and exploited their power over the Hutu majority.
What happened to the Belgian peacekeepers in Rwanda?
The deaths of the peacekeepers in 1994 led to the withdrawal of the 450 Belgian troops in Rwanda, and eventually troops from other nations in the UN mission, opening the way for the genocide of the Tutsi community to spread.
Who is responsible for the Rwanda massacre?
Responsibility for the attack was disputed, with both the RPF and Hutu extremists being blamed. In 2006, an eight-year investigation by the French judge Jean-Louis Bruguière concluded that Paul Kagame had ordered the assassination.
How did Belgium treat Rwanda?
Belgian colonizers initiated more direct control in Rwanda maintaining an existing political system, which allowed native monarchs to rule over the local populous. This policy intensified ethnic divisions and fueled conflict that lasted into 1990s.
How did Belgium react to the Rwandan genocide?
Belgium withdrew its forces after a number of their soldiers were massacred, and most the UN force followed shortly afterwards. UNAMIR eventually took under protection 40,000 Rwandans despite its strict mandate.
What happened to the Belgian peacekeepers at the beginning of the genocide?
Shortly after the beginning of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, on 7 April, Rwanda’s Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and the ten Belgian peacekeepers protecting her were brutally murdered by Rwandan Government soldiers.
When did Belgium colonize Rwanda?
Formal colonization of Rwanda began in 1884 when Germany took control of the region. In 1919, Belgium inherited the colony as part of a League of Nations mandate, which partitioned German territories after World War I.
What event sparked the beginning of the Rwanda genocide in 1994?
The context of an ongoing war led to anti-Tutsi propaganda, painting Tutsis as dangerous traitors. In 1994, when the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down, the genocide began, in which 800,000 Tutsi and many moderate Hutus were massacred.
What country supplied the Hutus with machetes?
What country supplied the Hutus with machetes and how much did they cost? They came from China, each one cost ten cents.