Terror Aspects

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Rwanda on the hand is a victim of the genocide activities where the animosity of the two communities starters from the colonial period by the ability to identifiable differences in their racial recognition. This was started by the Colonial ruling government of Rwanda which can be seen to be the initial propeller of the rivalry.

The Belgian colonial period heightened the communal cleavages by proving that the two communities were distinct in their characteristics where the Tutsi were generally more tall, more European and thin while the Hutu stockier and shorter. These are an invitation of the racial differences and the Tutsi were seen to be more superior and the master race for their European like appearance. The Auxiliaries during the Belgium reign were mostly Tutsi which increased their hatred against the Hutu. The Belgium also heightened this rivalry in 1933 by creating an identification card system that identified whether a Rwanda citizen came from the Tutsi or from the Hutu community. This system was still maintained in post-colonial period and it was diligently used to isolate the different communities.

Africa became more educated and the Tutsi were the one who led the struggle for independence. The Belgians vowed their power to the Tutsi community and Hutu community murdered around 15000 Tutsi as a matter of vengeance. Many Tutsi fled to the neighboring countries mainly Burundi and the remaining population in Rwanda were stripped off their properties and their wealth. After 1986, Tutsi in Uganda formed an organization by the name Rwandan Patriotic Front which was aimed to invade Rwanda and overthrow the ruling regime by then led by Habyarimana.

RPF launched its invasion in the northern part of Rwanda and Habyarimana finally accepted negotiations for a peace treaty and a political sharing in Kigali. Some of the extremist who were very high in the government and in the militants began to join the movement and a planned genocide of 1994 started fading.

In the month of April in 1994 the president Hybarimana’s plane was shot down by a missile as it approached Kigali International Airport. The attackers were never known but the Hutu extremist group is believed to have eliminated the accomadationist problem and make a final move to sweep the problem of the Tutsi community. Within 24 hours of the assassinations road blocks were everywhere manned by a militia group by the name “interahamwe” which means the ones who attack together. Many Tutsi were killed by the use of machetes which was a bit tiresome and the militia had to work in shifts. The group went beyond Kigali and not only killed Tutsi community but also killed the moderate Hutus such as the Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiamana. The prime minister at the time was under security of Belgium soldiers who were tortured disarmed and killed, these made Belgium to withdraw the rest of the UN troops from the country.

The government through the media encouraged the Tutsi to vacate to churches, stadiums and schools pledging these as the places of refuge. In a period of within two weeks a quarter of a million of the Tutsi and the so moderate Hutu had been killed according to the statistics. It is considered as the most concentrated mass murder of humans together with the soviet prisoners of war during the world war 11.

The gender dimensions of the killings is not well known but however increasing number of sources show that the most targeted were the Tutsi men (Combress, 2011). It was not only confined to the adults but also to the boys who were also decimated. Women also lost their lives in large numbers but mutilation and rape was the main target against women. In the past women used not to be killed assailants spared them. An example is when militia wanted to kill women during an attack in April and genocide leader by the name Renzaho had intended to stop it. From May onwards the rise in killings of women increased indicating that the decision was made at the national level and spread towards the community areas. The women although not dying in large numbers are exposed to much violations of human rights such as increased cases of rape were reported which was inform of gang rape, individual rape and use of sharp objects such as sticks and guns. Many women died immediately but others were carried by militia and used as sex objects.

Rwanda stands as an example of Genocide rape and many women who survived the attack were HIV positive. The UK magazine “Guardian” says that rape was brutal as the use of machete as weapon of genocide. Among 25000 of Tutsi women of the survivors two thirds tested as HIV with no husbands which are described as a pearl in the Rwanda’s genocide horror by the writer Chris MC Greal on 5th day of December 2001.

The Tutsi led RPF “Rwandan Patriotic Front” launched a drive to bring to an end to the government resistance and crush the genocide activity. It succeeded in protecting many victims and bringing control in many areas and the war came to an end on the month of July date 18 of 1994. What followed was a large retalialiation to the Hutus in the neighboring areas mainly in refugee camps and the Hutus believed to be involved in the Holocaust were thoroughly executed. According the a witness from the Human Rights organization the RPF solders lured children to bring back their families from the hiding places and they would be transported later to safer place. What followed was completely opposite as they killed a lot of men throwing them to latrines and in composite heap located at a reservoir.

The chaotic nature of the Genocide was so prone that it was not possible to estimate the total number of people who died from its’ effects. It is believed from the analyses of the experts that a total of 800 000 people died. Among them 750 000 came from the Tutsi and the others were the moderate Hutus. The Government later conducted a census back in 2002 and the outcome was that one seventh of the whole population was killed with the Tutsi the major victims who accounted for 94%.

Those responsible for the genocide activities are believed to be in the Rwanda government officials and were led by Hutu extremist by the name Theonesta Bagosora who was the Defense Minister by then and was one of the retired army colonels. He was also supported by the wife of the president whose name is Mme.Agathe Habyarimana. The leaders took advantage of the central nature of the State and the government at the time was not weak to be overcome but it was strong and totalitarian that it had to subject the citizens to obey any order which was the propeller for the genocide.

The authority also helped the executers with food, intoxicants, drinks, military uniforms and payments which turned a lot of young men to participate