Mink, Noble, and White 1

Keller Mink, Aly Noble, and Griffin White

Ms. Agar
English 10 Honors
15 November 2016
A Preventable Catastrophe
In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda. This was stated
by Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kofi Annan, regarding the horrific crimes against humanity
committed during the Rwandan genocide. Over 800,000 people were killed in the short span of
100 days. This event has forever impacted society and culture in the small country of Rwanda. In
Africa, a terrible genocide took place in 1994 due to racial tensions, religious beliefs, and power
shifts; the United Nations took action to dissolve these prominent issues and prevent other mass
killings worldwide.
Politics and religious issues brought about the beginning of racial tensions in Rwanda.
German and Belgian colonial administrators put power in the hands of Tutsi and gave
administrative and political positions to Tutsi, and at the same time eliminated the power of Hutu
kings and chiefs. (Cruden 13) Rwanda was given to the Belgians by the League of Nations after
World War I. Before its colonization, Rwanda experienced tensions between different ethnic
groups, but, due to its new government, tensions grew and had become more prominent than
ever. The Belgians viewed the Tutsis as a more white-like, or European, group because of their
physical features. Because of their views on the Tutsi group, the Belgians felt as if they were
more fit to govern their newly seized territory and offered them special privileges. Tutsi would
quickly become the hated minority. An extremist Hutu regime, fearing the loss of its power in

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the face of a democracy movement and a civil war, made plans for the elimination of all those
--moderate Hutu as well as Tutsi-- it perceived as threats to its authority. (Cruden 12) The Hutu
regimes cause for the genocide of innocent Tutsi was the fear of loss of power during the
uprising of a democracy movement and a civil war. The uprising marked the beginning of the
transfer of political power to the majority Hutu. Power continued to transfer, contributing to the
promotion of Anti-Tutsi sentiment. The Rwandan president, Juvnal Habyarimana, died
suddenly in an airplane crash in 1994. His death left the country in despair, without leadership,
and unable to fight for peace. Generally, in Rwanda, the leadership of the Christian churches,
especially that of the Catholic Church, played an essential role in the creation and furtherance of
racist ideology. (Cruden 141) Over 80% of Rwandas population identifies as Christian, most of
them being Catholic. Since 1959, the Catholics in Rwanda enforced the idea of rubanda
nyamwinshi, to preserve the majority population by killing minority off. Religion and the
government were major contributing factors to the Anti-Tutsi sentiment that caused the Rwandan
genocide.
The effects of the genocide have been long-lasting and possibly permanent on Rwandan
society. In 2009, fifteen years after the genocide, about 70,000 Rwandans were in prison on
charges of genocide-related crimes. (Cruden 155) Adults and children are still experiencing the
consequences of their actions in the genocide. The children who were involved have already had
their childhood and innocence taken from them. Fifteen years later, and some remain in jail still
unable to live their life. While serving their time in Rwandan institutions, the children are unable
to recover and rehabilitate because of constant harassment from imprisoned adults. This problem
has grown to the point where UNICEF has taken action and built special prisons for minors only.

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The children have been punished for their crimes and continue to suffer, just in a different form.
Rwandan life and culture will forever be tarnished by the genocide. We have all lost something.
We even have an expression for it: bapfuye buhagazi. It means the walking dead. This is the land
of the walking dead. (Cruden 297) The Rwandan people are just going through the motions of
life. They are not living due to the deep effects of the killing of their families, neighbors, and
countless others. Racial issues still exist, although they are less prominent now. The Rwandan
people conceal their emotions to protect society and try to salvage some sort of normal life.
Some have not reconciled with their losses. Over 20 years later, the Rwandan people live in fear
of another occurrence of genocide.
After the tragic events that took place in Rwanda, major policies were put in place to
prevent further violence in Africa and around the world. In 1994, the United Nations created the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), dedicated to bringing those responsible for
the genocide to justice. Although slow-moving, the ICTR began trying and indicting perpetrators
in 1995. (The Rwandan Genocide) The ICTR shows authority through example. They have
been linking and identifying people connected to the Rwandan genocide, doling out their
punishments. Because the Hutus and Tutsis took part in one of the largest genocides in history,
their punishments were not taken lightly, and some even continue to serve time today. The 1994
genocide continues to have an impact on Rwanda's political landscape. To guard against future
ethnic violence, various laws have been enacted to ensure that national unity is maintained.
There are strict requirements regulating political parties, including a ban on parties based on
religion or ethnicity. (Rwanda Government) Various actions involving Rwandan government
have been taken as a solution to the conflicts among the ethnic groups. Because Catholicism and

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ethnicity were contributing factors to the racial tensions, the government has banned biased
parties and ruling. This is hoped to prevent corrupt government and the furtherance of social
issues. After the Rwandan genocide had ended, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations,
Madeleine Albright, urges Rwanda to cooperate with a new UN tribunal for prosecuting
genocide participants. (Cruden 42) The United Nations was involved with the punishment for
those who committed crimes against humanity. The United States, located on the opposite side of
the world, was involved in the punishment for the participants in the genocide. This shows how
deeply the conflict in Rwanda affected the entire world. The Rwandan genocide provided an
example of history that was never to be repeated. All countries were involved to prevent another
genocide from occurring.
The main focus of the Rwandan people today is to prevent another tragic event, such as
the genocide, from happening again. Precautions are being taken to work towards social peace
and unity. Bias has been removed from the political and social aspects of society. The United
Nations and Rwandan government hope for a more calm and stable population while persecuting
those who participated in the slaughter of thousands. Countries all over the world have made an
example of the Rwandan genocide, so history doesn't repeat itself.

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Works Cited
Cruden, Alex. The Rwandan Genocide. Detroit, Greenhaven Press, 2010.
Rwanda: Government." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2016. Web. 7 Nov. 2016.
"Rwanda: History." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2016. Web. 4 Nov. 2016.
The Rwandan Genocide. endgenocide.org/learn/past-genocides/the-rwandan-genocide/.

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Outline
I.

II.

Introduction
A.

Hook

B.

Transition

C.

Thesis

1st Body Paragraph: Causes

A.

Political Bias
1)

B.

Democracy Movement
1)

C.

Hutus feared loss of power during democratic uprising

Religion
1)

III.

Tutsis given almost all political power when Rwanda was colonized

Catholic leaders encourage Hutus to kill the minority population off

2nd Body Paragraph: Effects

A.

Imprisoned Rwandans
1)

B.

Rwandans institutionalized for crimes against humanity

Living in Denial
1)

The Rwandan people conceal their emotions to protect society and try to

salvage some sort of normal life

IV.

3rd Body Paragraph: Solutions

A.

Bringing Justice to Rwanda

1)

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda shows authority through

example

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B.

Creating an Unbiased Government

1)

There are strict requirements regulating political parties, including a ban

on parties based on religion or ethnicity

C.

Prosecuting Genocide Participants

1)

The United Nations was involved with the punishment for those who

committed crimes against humanity

V.

Conclusion
A.

Revision of Thesis

B.

Transition

C.

Look toward the future