Land of a Thousand Hills

Rwanda is called the “Land of a Thousand Hills”

Golf Course in Kigali, Rwanda

• Landlocked
• 10.7 million people. Houston has about 2.25 million people
• Most densely populated country in Africa

Rwandan President, Paul Kagame meeting with US Presidents

• In the 1800s, Dr. Livingstone wanted
Europe to spread the 3 Cs into Africa to stop the Slave Trade :
C ommerce
C hristianity
their C ivilization
• Europe thus stops the Slave trade and starts Colonizing…

4 Main European Countries that Colonize Africa :
1. Britain
2. France
3. Portugal
4. Germany
5 “Benefits” European bring into Africa :
1. New crops
2. Legal system
3. Basic schooling
4. Roads
5. Medicine

• European powers divide Africa amongst themselves
• Rwanda & Burundi are given to Germany
• WWI ends in 1919
–Germany lost, thus lose all their colonies
• Belgium is given Rwanda and Burundi.

• Hutu (Bantu) 84%,
• Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%,
• Twa (Pygmy) 1%

History: Racial Classification and
Colonialism
 The size of the nose and the color of the eyes were factors that determined whether a person was classified as Hutu, Tutsi or Twa.
 Prior to colonization, the people of the region lived together. The Belgian colonization put one group above the others.

• For centuries, the Hutus and Tutsis lived together peacefully in a feudal relationship.
– Hutus farmed and give food to Tutsis.
– In-turn the Tutsis give Hutus protection from invading tribes.
• 1959 –1960 – Hutus start an uprising in
Rwanda & start killing Tutsis.
– Hutus overthrow Tutsi king
– 200,000 Tutsis were driven into exile in neighboring countries
• 1962 – Rwanda and Burundi gain independence
– Hutus gain control of Rwanda
– Tutsis gain control of Burundi

 Tools of genocide: assassinations, death lists, hate propaganda, demonizing, civilian militias, and rape
 The United Nations estimated that at least a quarter-million women were raped during the genocide

• 1990 – the children of the Tutsi exiles form the R.P.F.
& begin a civil war against the Hutus in Rwanda
• April 1994 – the Hutu genocide against the Tutsis begins
• July 1994 – Tutsi forces gain power in Rwanda.
– approx. 2 million Hutu refugees (fearing Tutsi revenge) flee to neighboring countries
 Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring DRC and formed an extremist rebellion with the goal of retaking Rwanda.
• 1996 – Civil War erupts in Burundi between Hutus & Tutsis

One
Million
Dead
One
Hundred
Days

• “Big” criminals of the genocide tried in Arusha, Tanzania.
• The new government resurrected an old tribal court system called
Gacaca.

Tutsis
• “natural leaders”
• Warriors and Cattle
Owners
• Favored by Belgians
– promoted in society
• Hutus call them cockroaches
Hutus
• Largest ethnic group in Rwanda
• Farmers by tradition
• Exploited by
Belgians
– denied positions of authority until Belgians leave, then they are given all power in the government.

• Rwanda required people to carry ID cards
– stamped Hutu or Tutsi
• Kigali – Capital of Rwanda
• Paul Rusesabagina  Main character, Hutu, hotel manager
• Tatiana Rusesabagina  Paul’s wife, Tutsi
• Colonel Oliver – United Nations Official
– in real life he is a Canadian man named
Lt. Gen. Rom éo Dallaire

• Rwanda required people to carry ID cards
– stamped Hutu or Tutsi
• Kigali – Capital of Rwanda
• Paul Rusesabagina  Main character,
Hutu, hotel manager
• Tatiana Rusesabagina  Paul’s wife,
Tutsi

Militia – a private army NOT the government’s military
• Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) – Tutsi Militia
• Interahamwe – Hutu Militia
– use radio station to get out signals (cut the tall trees)
– kills the President of Rwanda & Burundi and say the Tutsi did it. This gives them the excuse to start killing them.
• George Rutaganda – leader of the Interahamwe
• General Bizimungu – Gen. of Rwandan Army
(aids the Interahamwe)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10887488

• Colonel Oliver’s character in
Hotel Rwanda was based UN’s
Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire .
• Dallaire wrote an autobiography titled
Shake Hands with the Devil: The
Failure of Humanity in Rwanda (2003).
In 2007, the book was turned into a movie.
• The book & movie recount Dallaire's harrowing personal journey during the
1994 Rwandan Genocide & how the
United Nations failed to heed Dallaire's urgent pleas for further assistance to halt the massacre.