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Sub Saharan Africa
Rwanda |
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Country information
HISTORY
Rwanda existed as an independent, highly centralised state for several centuries, ruled by a King and noble elite drawn largely from the minority Tutsi (15%) group. It became part of German East Africa in 1899. Following WWI it became part of the Belgian-administered territory of 'Ruanda-Urundi', with neighbouring Burundi, under a League of Nations mandate. The colonial authorities initially consolidated the power of the existing Tutsi elite. In an attempt to head off claims for independence from the ruling elite, the Hutu majority was later encouraged to participate in the political life of the country. Independence from Belgium followed in 1962, after a Hutu uprising (1959-61) and large-scale massacres of Tutsi. This brought to power a Hutu-dominated Government led by President Kayibanda. Inter-communal violence between Hutu and Tutsi continued until 1973, when Kayibanda was deposed and a more moderate – but still firmly Hutu – Second Republic was declared under President Habyarimana.
Rwanda remained largely peaceful during this period, although Tutsi were still excluded from power and faced widespread discrimination. Many left the country, joining those who had fled the killings of 1959. Power was concentrated in the hands of a single party, the Mouvement Revolutionnaire National pour le Developpment (MRND). Habyarimana and the MRND won several uncontested "elections" through the 1980's.
Genocide
In 1985 Tutsi exiles in Uganda formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). Having failed to negotiate their return to the country, the RPF invaded Rwanda from Uganda in October 1990, demanding representation and equality for all Rwandans. A civil war in the border area ensued. Each incursion by the RPF was followed by reprisal massacres, largely of Tutsis, by government forces. A peace agreement was brokered in 1993, the Arusha Peace Accords, which inter alia provided for a power-sharing arrangement involving all political forces and the RPF. But, unwilling to share power, a group of extremist Hutu politicians planned to consolidate their hold on the country by wiping out all the Tutsi, along with moderate Hutu leaders. They prepared the largely illiterate population through ethnic propaganda, armed extremist youth militia (known as the Interahamwe) and drew up lists of those to be targeted. The killing was sparked by the assassination of President Habyarimana in April 1994. The genocide and massacres lasted until July 1994 and cost the lives of around one million Rwandans. It was halted by the RPF taking control of the country. The extremist politicians and over two million Hutu fled the country together with many members of the Rwandan Armed Forces and the interahamwe, both with their weapons to neighbouring countries. The majority went to Zaire.
