History of the Hutu Tutsi Conflict

Origins 

Ethiopia and Chad in relation to Rwanda and Burundi

            The Hutu Tutsi conflict goes back centuries to the 1500’s when the Tutsis first immigrated to present day Rwanda, where the Hutus had already been present for thousands of years. Neither ethnicities were thought to originate in Rwanda, and it is speculated that the Tutsis originated in Ethiopia and the Hutu in Chad. The Hutu were a farming people while the Tutsis were more warrior like, so the Hutu agreed to raise crops for the Tutsis in exchange for protection against enemies. Because of this, Tutsi’s began to generally have higher welfare, and social class, for example, they ranched cattle, while the Hutu farmed. This arrangement created the resentment and oppression in the Hutu Tutsi relationship. However, this conflict was over class differences, not ethnic differences.

Tutsi cattle (village in background)

Over the next centuries, Hutu resentment of the Tutsis and Tutsi oppression of the Hutus grew. Eventually in the 15^th century, Tutsis established a monarchy in Rwanda and Burundi, further fueling the conflict. When Germany colonized Rwanda in 1897 Tutsi power was weakened. Germany also helped stabilize the relationship by issuing a head tax on all Rwandans, which made Hutus appear more equal and independent. However, the Belgian government escalated the tension by introducing ethnic identity cards, distinguishing the Hutus and Tutsis. During Belgian control, the Tutsis were considered superior to the Hutu, adding to Hutu resentment and poverty.

King Baudouin (Belgian) with Tutsi king

Pre-Rwandan Genocide

Original Rwanda flag after independence (1962-2001)

In the 20^th century the tensions between the Hutus and Tutsis that had arisen in the past centuries, leaned towards breaking point, and the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Tutsis had been considered the ruling and dominate race in Rwanda since colonial times, and once Rwanda gained independence, and control of the country was somewhat equalized Hutu’s saw it as their time to take revenge. Riots started in 1959 when more than 20, 000 Tutsis were killed, and more fled Rwanda. After Rwanda (and Burundi) gained independence, their governments remained controlled by Hutus. In Burundi, Rwanda’s southern neighbor where both Hutus and Tutsi lived, in 1972 the first free elections since independence were held. A Hutu candidate was in the lead, but the king gave the Tutsi candidate the role as prime minister. This led to a failed Hutu coup to take over the Tutsi government resulting in widespread violence between the two groups. Some radical Hutus killed Tutsis and Hutus who refused to rebel against the government. Eventually, the Tutsis gained control of the government. However, the Tutsi president Michel Micombero declared martial law and killed educated Hutus such as teachers and students. Then, in 1973 General Juvenal Habyarimana (Hutu) became president of Rwanda, and discriminated and oppressed Tutsis, by setting up a one-party state, the National Revolutionary Movement for Development. Habyarimana continued the policy of a one-party state until 1990, when he announced his goal to turn Rwanda into a multi-party democracy.

President Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda

Starting in the 1990’s there were many signs indicting a war. In Uganda, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) was formed by Tutsi exiles who invaded Rwanda in 1990. They were angry the government had waiting so long to become a democracy and had not addressed the issue of Tutsis refugees scattered across the globe. A cease-fire was signed in 1992. In Burundi in 1993 the first Hutu president Melchior Ndadaye was elected and assassinated, throwing the country back into disorder, about 75,000 people were killed. Meanwhile, the RPF attacked Rwanda again in 1993 and a new peace treaty was signed allowing the return of refugees and coalition. Around this time the Hutu extremist group, the Interahamwe began training militants (in 1990). Between 1993 and 194 extremist radio stations began broadcasting encouraging messages to exterminate the Tutsis. Human rights movements warned a violent conflict was brewing.

Rwandan Genocide

In 1994, the horrific Rwandan Genocide took place from early April to mid-July. There were signs that the Interahamwe had been planning genocide for years, but the catalyst was the assassination of the Rwandan and Burundi presidents. On April 6 President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down by an unknown group just outside of Kigali, the President of Burundi Cyprien Ntaryamira was also onboard. Almost immediately after, on same day the Interahamwe mercilessly set out to kill all the Tutsis. The instantaneous response suggested the genocide had been planned as human rights groups had been suggesting. All foreigners were immediately evacuated, and the UN withdrew troops despite clear acts and intention of genocide, which they had sworn to prevent. All other nations withdrew their troops except for Ghana. General Romeo Dallaire, resisted the orders and was allowed to stay to help as much as he could, along with a small UN task force. Dallaire had very few people at his disposal, but with the help of courageous others such as Captain Mbaye Djang hundreds of Tutsis were smuggled out of the country. However, most were not so lucky. The Interhamwe was ruthless, hacking away at children with machetes, and people that sought haven inside churches. They not only killed Tutsis but also Hutus who opposed them, or were against the genocide such as the Prime Minister Madame Agathe.
See the Rwandan Genocide video below on Youtube for a video of the taste of the genocide, from Ghosts of Rwanda.  

Paul Kagame, head of the RPF lead a small Tutsi resistance force, with little outside help. Eventually in mid July the genocide ended when, the RPF captured Kigali, and the Hutu government disbanded, some were captured while others fled the country. Although it had lasted 100 days, about 800,000 people had been killed and about three fourths of the Tutsi population, while the world stood by and did nothing. In the weeks and months following the genocide the US, UN and several other countries including France apologize to Rwanda for their lack of support, claiming they did not know the scale of the violence.

Post-Rwandan Genocide

 In Rwanda Paul Kagame, former head of the RPF became president of Rwanda, so Tutsi regained control of the government and have since invaded the Democratic Republic of Congo twice, trying to exterminate the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda. They started by holding genocide trials, starting in 1996 for Hutus responsible for the genocide. Many were executed, or sent to prison but a few hundred were released back to their homes in Rwanda. However, the government had a major task to rebuild Rwanda from a devastating genocide. Click on the link to the Rwandan Massacre video on Youtube showing how the RPF attempted to build trust in the people to rebuild the country right after the genocide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9FEpZRRFlM

Trying to make up for their lack of support during the genocide many countries and the UN sent troops to try and maintain the peace and restore refugees to their homes in Rwanda. They partially succeeded, for although over 600, 000 refugees returned to Rwanda by 1996, there were still tensions, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo where many refugees still remained.

Throughout the genocide thousands of people fled into neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo). However, they brought the conflict with them where it continues to exist. Fighting continues especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo and eastern Burundi, where the Interahamwe is now known as Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

Sources
http://worldnews.about.com/od/africa/f/tutsihutu.htm
http://worldnews.about.com/od/africa/a/hutututsiconflicthistory.htm
http://hutuandtutsis.wordpress.com/what-is-the-main-problem-of-our-research/
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/jan-june99/hutus_tutsis.html
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/rwanda.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1288230.stm
http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/genocide_in_rwanda.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/etc/slaughter.html 
Ghosts of Rwanda