SOC206: Introduction to the Sociology of Genocide Week 8: The Rwandan Genocide November 6, 2023 Prof. Martin Lukk University of Toronto-Mississauga Course Outline Reminder » Oct 30: The Armenian Genocide » Nov 6: The Rwandan Genocide » Nov 13: Canada and the First Nations » Nov 20: What Can We Do? » Dec 4: Term Test 2 Week 8: Rwandan Genocide ❗ Recap: Armenian Genocide » Often considered first genocide of the 20th century » (But see Herero and Namaqua genocide, 1904-08) » 1.2 million killed through death marches into the Deir ez-Zor desert » Women and children abducted and forcibly Turkified/Islamicized » Decline of Ottoman Empire set the groundwork for genocide » Leaders were sentenced to death but many escaped Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Agenda » Historical Background (Pre-1915) » Genocide (1915-1923) » "The Great Unweaving" » World War I » Armenians in Ottoman Empire » Eliticide and Gendercide » Young Turk Revolution » Deportations » Post-Genocide (1923-) » Denial » Impact on Future Genocides Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Agenda » Historical Background (Pre-1915) » Genocide (1915-1923) » "The Great Unweaving" » World War I » Armenians in Ottoman Empire » Eliticide and Gendercide » Young Turk Revolution » Deportations » Post-Genocide (1923-) » Denial » Impact on Future Genocides Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Course Outline Reminder » Oct 30: The Armenian Genocide » Nov 6: The Rwandan Genocide ❗ ⬅ » Nov 13: Canada and the First Nations » Nov 20: Current Events and Genocides in the Making » Nov 27: What Can We Do? » Dec 4: Term Test 2 Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Key Points » Decades of colonial rule created ethnic divisions between Tutsis and Hutus » April-July 1994, approx. 800,000-1 million Tutsi Rwandans and other murdered by Hutus » Most of killing performed at close range via machete » Genocide ended by previously exiled Rwandan Patriotic Front forces » Post-genocide reconciliation complicated by large numbers of perpetrators Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Agenda » Historical Background (Colonial Period) » Ethnic Groups in Rwanda » European Colonization » "Hamitic Hypothesis" » Ethnic I.D. Cards » Genocide » Hutu Power » UN and Intl. Involvement » Post-Genocide » ICTR » Reconciliation and Gacaca Courts Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Historical Background Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Ethnic Groups in Rwanda: Hutu (85%) Tutsi (14%) Twa (1%) Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Hutus/Tutsis Historically » Hutus v Tutsis not ancient intergroup hatred » Not distinct peoples or identitites until 20th century » Same language, territory, religion » Primarily caste distinctions: cattle owners/land laborers » Some physical differences » Permeable: could become Hutu/Tutsi Week 8: Rwandan Genocide European Colonization » Germany rule established in 1984 » Belgian rule established after WWI (1922) » First to codify distinction between Hutus and Tutsis » Favored minority group (Tutsi) to establish domination Week 8: Rwandan Genocide "Hamitic Hypothesis" » Racist anthropological theory » Sees Hutus as offspring of Noah's Son, Ham, who was cursed by God and destined to serve » Sees Tutsis as descending from Nilotic civilization of Ancient Egypt » Colonial racial theorists used to justify superiority of Tutsis over Hutus Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Ethnic Identity Cards » Myth propagated among Tutsis and Hutus in colonial period » Justified Tutsi rule over Hutus in colonial institutions » Created resentment and vengefulness among Hutus » Ethnic differences codified by I.D. cards Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Which concepts/ideas describe this process? Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Break ! Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Agenda » Historical Background (Colonial Period) » Ethnic Groups in Rwanda » European Colonization » "Hamitic Hypothesis" » Ethnic I.D. Cards » Genocide » Hutu Power » UN and Intl. Involvement » Post-Genocide » ICTR » Reconciliation and Gacaca Courts Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Hutu Power » Anti-colonial independence movements across Africa in 1960s » Educated Tutsis led Rwandan independence movement » Belgians sided with Hutus instead, giving them power over Rwanda » Led to first massacres of Tutsis by Hutus » Some persecuted Tutsis flee Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Rwanda Civil War » Rwandan exiles in Uganda form Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) » RPF launches military invasion of Rwanda in 1990 » France provides military support to Hutus in Rwanda » Exacerbates economic crisis » Growing fear of attacks by Tutsis in Rwanda » Peace process through Arusha Accords, signed on 3 August 1993 Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Genocide Begins » Plane carrying President Habyarimana is shot down by unknown attackers on April 6, 1994 » Next day, Hutu militias ("Interahamwe") armed with machetes and clubs, are given lists of names and addresses of Tutsis to go out and kill » First to be murdered are moderate Hutu government officials, including the Prime Minister, accused of conspiring with Tutsis » Roadblocks set up and I.D. cards checked (Tutsi I.D. means death) Week 8: Rwandan Genocide "Video: How did the genocide start?" (BBC) Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Radio Télévision Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM) » Radio station played anti-Tutsi propaganda non-stop for months prior to the genocide » During genocide, RTLM encouraged Hutus to go out and murder Tutsis » Video: "Excerpts from RTLM broadcasts during the genocide in 1994" Week 8: Rwandan Genocide U.N. and International Involvement » Killings happened in front of U.N. peacekeepers » Told not to fire unless fired upon, could not engage with Hutu killers » Belgium recalls troops after 10 killed protecting the Prime Minister » Focused on evacuating foreigners » U.S. not interested in intervention after disastrous attempt in Somalia in 1993, where 19 soldiers died » Lt. General Romeo Dallaire (Canadian) and troops helped save thousands of Rwandans from death Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Outcome » "Probably the most concentrated mass killing ever seen" » Approx. 1 million Tutsis, moderate Hutus, and Twa killed » Killed primarily by machetes, clubs, small firearms » Key role of ordinary Hutu Rwandans » Ended by RPF defeating government forces in June Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Post-Genocide Week 8: Rwandan Genocide International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) » November 1994-December 2015 » 96 individuals indicted, 61 convicted » Only dealt with anti-Tutsi genocide but not anti-Hutu killings by RPF and leader leader Paul Kagame » Criticized for being slow and inefficient » Refined genocide/war crimes law to include systematic rape and sexual violence Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Gacaca Courts » After genocide, 100+ thousand genocide perpetrators jailed for years; legal system can't handle them all » Gacaca Courts ("on the grass"): traditional form of tribunal » Restorative Justice (rather than punitive) » 12,000 community-based courts sought to try criminals and restore peace and forgiveness to victims » Video: "Gacaca Justice - Rwanda" Week 8: Rwandan Genocide Rwanda Today » After genocide, there was no separation between the Hutus and Tutsis » Everyone who stayed within the country continued living in close proximity! » Video: "How young Rwandan genocide survivors are documenting 25 years of healing" » Illegal to talk about ethnicity » Paul Kagame (RPF) remains the President of Rwanda since 2000 Week 8: Rwandan Genocide SOC206: Introduction to the Sociology of Genocide Week 8: The Rwandan Genocide November 6, 2023 Prof. Martin Lukk University of Toronto-Mississauga
