By the time of the genocide in 1994, the media in the West often portrayed Rwanda as a country of warring tribes. But this was not always the case. Ethnic polarisation is a quite a recent development. For many centuries the Hutu, Tutsi and the smaller Twa minority lived in relative harmony. The Hutu were largely agricultural people, the Tutsi were predominantly cattle herders. Over the centuries much intermarriage occurred and ethnic groups were not as distinct as anywhere else [extract from “A Time to Remember”]

The two ethnic groups were even quite similar, speaking the same language, inhabiting the same areas and following the same traditions.

But when the Belgian colonists arrived in 1916, they saw the two groups as two distinct entities. Because the Tutsi were generally taller and thinner than the Hutu’s, the belief was that they were more like the Europeans and therefore should be favoured. With this in mind, the colonists formalised a division between the two races, producing identity cards classifying people according to their ethnicity.

As the ruling class, the Tutsis enjoyed better jobs and educational opportunities than their neighbours. By 1957 most of the school places, 95% of the country’s civil service and nearly all the chiefs and sub-chiefs were Tutsi.

The end of World War Two marked a shift in favouritism to benefit the majority Hutu over the Tutsi. Unfortunately the damage had been done. In the lead up to Rwanda’s independence, the rift that had been created between the two groups was irreversible. Resentment, suspicion and hostility boiled over into violence on several occasions in the 1960’s and 70’s, leading into an all out riot in the 90’s.

In April 1994, in the power vacuum following the death of Rwandan President, Juvenal Habyirimana, Hutu militia groups and the Rwandan army unleashed a carefully pre-planned genocide to finally rid the country of Tutsi civilians and Hutu moderates once and for all.

Sources: BBC World
The Aegis Institute
Jim Wackett

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