rwandan genocide Flashcards
when was the rwandan genocide
7 april 1994-mid july 1994
death toll in time span rwandan genocide
800 000 killed in 100 days
who was targeted in genocide
Tutsi population and moderate Hutus
why were the killings personal + brutal
persecuted for ethnicity-unchangable characteristic
machete- weapon of the people
what did the acts of rwandan genocide include
torture,sexual violence, murder
acts of genocide
causing serious bodily/mental harm
forcibly transferring children from 1 group to another
restricting culture
mass murder
deliberately inflicting conditions of life to bring about physical destruction of group
imposing measures to prevent birth
killing members of a group
genocide vs massacre
massacre- mass killings
leads to
genocide- elimination of specific group
what things were instrumental in creating conditions for the
genocide
hamitic myth with phrenology
identity cards
what made the rwandan genocide so brutal
killings personal + brutal
sexual violence
silence of international community
Twa
earliest inhabitants of Rwanda
1% of population
hunter gatherers
lived mostly in forests
retreated into mountain forests w/ arrival of Hutu
Hutu
80% of population
migrations begun by 11th CE
confined to cattle farming
Tutsi
migratws 14th/15th CE
controlled most of land
served as administrators to Mwami
Mwami
Tutsi king
Rwandan society in 15th century
small states of both Tutsi and Hutu established
Rwandan society in 19th century
more centralised state- expansion of territory + influence
Tutsi led hierarchy led by Mwami
system of client-patron relationship
Hutus use Tutsi cattle in exchange for personal + military system (ubuhake)
no genetic, cultural,linguistic distinctions between ethnic groups
client-patron relationship
mutual arrangement between a person that has authority, social status, wealth, or some other personal resource (patron) and another who benefits from their support or influence (client).
under german rule
-Berlin conference of 1884 assigned Rwanda,Burundi + Tanzania to Germany
-Germany did not start process of colonisation
-ruled through existing social structure - support Mwami
Gustav Adolf van Götzen - first explorer
how did germany lose control of rwanda
Germany defeated in WW1
- control given to Belgium
-Rwanda + Burundi- (Ruanda-Urundi)
control under Belgium before UN
Rwanda physically,socially + politically colonised
power of Mwami reduced
Ubuhake modified
eliminated paying of tribute
how Belgian mandate changed after UN
kept trusteeship
required to interstate Rwandan into political society
-led to limited political representation of Rwandans in government
1952 Belgium: Ten Year Development Plan
aims + reality of Ten Year Development Plan
socio-economic reforms aimed to promote political progress + social stability
granted tutsi minority political ,economic + social domination over Hutu majority
Tutsi given better education ,preferred for civil service posts
created resentment amongst Hutu
what is the Hamitic myth
idea that people from north + north-east Africa descendants of biblical Ham, “black caucasians” not Africans.
superior
physical characteristics of Tutsi vs Hutu
Tutsi- tall,slender,light skinned, narrow facial features
Hutu- shorter, darker,broader facial features
phrenology in Rwanda
used to justify privileging Tutsi over Hutu (light skin + skull) - superior mental and moral attributes
- better suited for political + social leadership- superior in society
hamitic myth in Rwanda
Tutsi descendants of Ham therefore superior to Hutu
used to justifying privileging Tutsi
allowed Tutsi to be tools of colonial administration
when were identity cards introduced
1935
what idea did identity cards enforce
ethnicity is a fixed trait
how was your identity decided when your origins were unclear from appearance
take stock of wealth
some wealthy hutus declared as Tutsi
how did the purpose of identity cards develop
indicate ethnicity
v
distinguish place in society- type of jobs+education for ethnicity
v
facilitated for identification of Tutsi victims
posit
put forward as fact or as a basis for argument
place/put in position
trusteeship
custody /rule over
exiled
having been expelled and barred from one’s native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.
guerilla
type of warfare in which small groups of combatants use
subversive tactics to fight a larger, less mobile army
small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces.
impromptu
sporadic
occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
occasional
