consequences Flashcards
UNHCR
United Nations Commission responsible for dealing with refugees
counteroffensive
attack made in response to one from an enemy, typically on a large scale or for a prolonged period
Banyamulenge
Tutsi tribe that arrived in Zaire in the 19th Century from Rwanda
Gacaca
system of community justice inspired by Rwandan tradition; loosely translates to “justice amongst the grass.”
Hutu Massacres
after RPF took power, UNHCR sent a team led by Robert Gersony to investigate the prospect of approx. 200 million refugees returning.
300 witnesses recounted to Gersony who concluded that
> “clearly systematic murders and persecution of the Hutu population in certain parts of the country”
> from April-August 1994, RPF had killed “between 25,000 and 45,000 persons”
RPF denied allegations
Kagame acknowledged that killings had occurred but were carried out by rogue soldiers and were impossible to control
violence against women
due to Hutu propaganda depicting Tutsi women as “a sexually seductive ‘fifth column’ in league with Hutu’s enemies.”
Tutsi and moderate Hutu women were targets of rape by RPF and Interahamwe
“Rape was the rule and its absence was the exception” - UN Special Rapporteur, Rene Degni-Segui
“Rape was systematic and was used as a weapon.” - Ibid
approx. 250,000-500,000 women raped during genocide
many survivors infected with HIV:
> Hutu extremists released patients with AIDS from hospitals and formed “rape squads”
> 70% of rape survivors of genocide tested positive for HIV
> aim- cause a “slow, inexplorable death” for future Tutsi rape victims and destroy reproductive abilities
sexual mutilation sometimes occurred after rape with machetes, knives, sticks, boiling water, and acid
men were also victims of sexual violation
killing of Twa
approx. 10,000-30,000 killed
Twa survivors describe Hutus as threatening to kill them all
refugees
following RPF victory, approx. 2 million Hutu fled to refugee camps in neighbouring countries fearing RPF reprisals
camps:
> thousands of refugees died in disease epidemics (eg. cholera, disentary)
> 1st week of July- 600 deaths/week
> later July- 7000 deaths/day
> approx. 50,000 died in total (in July)
> UNHCR got $1 million/month between July and December 1994 due to “CNN Factor” which led to rapid drop in mortality rate
1st Congo War
by late 1996, Hutu militants (FDLR) in Zaire refugee camps launched regular cross-border incursions into Rwanda with aid from the Zairean government
RPF (+ allies) launched counter-offensive that targeted FDLR in refugee camps
Kagame sought to remove dictator of Zaire, Mobutu Sese Seko, for supporting FDLR
Rwanda and Uganda supported rebel alliance, Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo-Zaire (AFDL), which was led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila
in resultant civil war, RPF targeted Hutu refugee camps
> tactic- “summoning the inhabitants of predominantly Hutu towns to meetings in schools or churches, so as to massacre them”
> Roberto Garretón (UN Special Commissioner) identified 40 possible massacre sites and approx. “200,000 Hutu refugees could have been massacred”
by 1997, AFDL controlled most of Zaire
Kabila made President and Zaire was renamed DRC
2nd Congo War
Kabila’s authority was severely inhibited by Rwandan and Ugandan presence
> “The road to Kinshasa [Congo capital] runs through Kigali.”
> Kabila became hostile against Rwandans because of views that the government was packed with Rwandans and Tutsi
Kabila called for all “foreigners” to leave DRC
1998- Rwanda reinvaded DRC due to a military regime that was believed to actively support FDLR
by 2002, Rwandan forces occupied an area 27 times the size of Rwanda in Congo
when Rwandan forces left Congo in 2003, approx. 5.4 million died
justice
1 million people (20% of remaining pop.) were potentially culpable for a role in genocide
RPF pursued mass arrests:
> jailed 100,000 in 2 years
> overwhelmed physical capacity of Rwandan prisons- designed to hold 18,000
> led to “cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment”- Amnesty International
justice system destroyed during genocide:
> gov. institutions destroyed
> employees murdered or fled- 507/750 judges didn’t remain
Gacaca trials progressed slowly:
> Gacaca- community courts in Rwanda
> 3343 cases handled between 1996 and (end of) 2000
> 20% received death sentences, 32% life sentences, 20% aquitted
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda:
> established by UN
> tried high-level members of Rwandan gov. and armed forces
> when disbanded in 2014, 77 individuals had been convicted of genocide
