Rwandan Genocide: Nine Factual

Questions
1. What was the reason?
The Belgian Colonial Rule, which gave the Tutsis education and denied
political and economic power to the Hutus. This caused lots of tension
between the Rwandan people. Causing them to separate out of anger and
hatred. Then on April 6th, 1994 president Habyariman, a Hutu, was shot
down and the Tutsis were blamed. This is what started a massacre.
2. How long was the Genocide?
The Rwandan Genocide was lasted for a period of 100 days. This was
during the months of April and July of 1994.
3. What was the death toll?
The death toll for the Rwandan Genocide was estimated to be 800,000 to
1 million Tutsis and Moderate Hutus in 100 days. The Tutsis were brutally
murdered with machetes and guns.
4. Important dates during the Genocide?
April 6th, 1994. The day that the Presidents plane was shot down was
when all of the killing started. April 9th, 1994, the Massacre at Gikondo.
Hundreds of Tutsis were killed in the Pallotine Missionary Catholic Church.
5. Were people simply killed or tortured?
Tutsis were searched for and taken from their homes. They were
slaughtered using clubs, machetes, and guns. The Hutus killed large
groups of Tutsis at a time.
6. How did the Aggressors feel about their roles?
The Hutus believed that they were doing right by killing the Tutsis. They
believed that they were cleansing the pests(cockroaches as they called
them)
7. How were the lives of the survivors affected?
They had tough lives afterwards living without their families. They had no
one to turn to. They became poor and didnt have much to live for.

8. How did the international community respond to the

Genocide?
The International Community and the UN failed to prevent this event.
They did send troops, but they arrived months after the Genocide ended.
9. How well does this event correspond to the eight stages of
Genocide?
Classification- Division between Hutus and Tutsis
Symbolization- Identification Cards
Dehumanization- Tutsis were considered as vermin to the Hutus. They
called them filthy cockroaches.
Organization- Coordinated attacks against the Tutsis, The MNRD and the
Interahamwe planned the Genocide well.
Polarization- MNRD and Interahamwe used all forms of media to spread
the Hutu power ideology.
Preparation- MNRD and Interahamwe timed everything perfectly. They
could easily tell the victims apart by using the identification cards that the
Hutu Government implemented.
Extermination- Once the sign was given through the radio, the
Interahamwe and other Hutus started attacking the Tutsis.
Denial- UN tried to deny the genocide while it was going on. Today, UN
clearly highlights the errors of the UNAMIR.