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Effects of belgian colonisation in rwanda
The tragic history of Rwanda
Introduction background on rwandan genocide
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The country of Rwanda is divided by two major ethnic groups the Hutu and Tutsi. With a staggering 85% being Hutu and the remaining mostly Tutsi. Tensions began to arise after World War I when Rwanda became under the League of Nations order of Belgium. During Rwanda’s colonial period under Belgium control the Belgians favored the minority group (Tutsi). Leaving them in charge of the government and worsened things to a few people oppressed too many (Hutu). Revolutions by the Hutu began to follow after this decision making, making many Tutsi’s to flee making them an even smaller population. Soon the Hutu majority had forced the Tutsi monarch into exile. Leaving the Belgians to eventually grant Rwanda their independence in 1962. After gaining
Have you ever pondered the idea of another nation ruling? This was the question that many Africans had to wonder under European rule. What was the driving force behind imperialism in Africa? What three major reasons did european countries become interested in Africa?
The Hutu and the Tutsi have been in conflict with each other for years but after what happened in 1994 I don’t think that anyone will ever forget. In that year Rwandas Presidents plan was shot down and he was killed. In the days following is when the genocide started, because the Hutu believed that it was the Tutsi that shot down the plan and killed the President because he was a Hutu. The United Nations let this go because of the killing of ten of their own and because of their rules of engagement that resulted from the ten Belgian members being killed while trying to protect the Prime Minister. During a short time period of only a few months about 800,000 Tutsi and Hutu moderates were killed by the militia, other groups and even neighbors.
When the Age of Imperialism began in 1875, it effected Africa in many ways. Nowhere was the competition for colonies more intense than in Africa. Europeans went after North and South Africa splitting up the continent. Egypt and Sudan were taken over by Britain to obtain the Suez Canal. Imperialism helped to develop Africa’s economy and turned it into a continent of colonies.
Rwanda was a German colony but then was given to Belgium “who favored the minority Tutsis over the Hutus, exacerbated[exacerbating] the tendency of the few to oppress the many”(History.com). This created a feeling of anger towards the Tutsis, because they had much more power than Hutus. The RPF decided to create a government consisting of a Hutu and a Tutsi holding the highest government positions. As the RPF took control of the government, “some two million Hutus – both civilians and some of those involved in the genocide – then fled across the border into DR Congo.
Africa has been an interesting location of conflicts. From the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea to the revolutionary conflict in Libya and Egypt, one of the greatest conflicts is the Rwandan Genocide. The Rwandan Genocide included two tribes in Rwanda: Tutsis and Hutus. Upon revenge, the Hutus massacred many Tutsis and other Hutus that supported the Tutsis. This gruesome war lasted for a 100 days. Up to this date, there have been many devastating effects on Rwanda and the global community. In addition, many people have not had many acknowledgements for the genocide but from this genocide many lessons have been learned around the world.
Prior to the 19th century, the Europeans traded mainly for African slaves. It turns out they were not immune towards certain diseases and therefore had an increasing risk of becoming sick. For years to come this continued, but not much land was conquered. Eventually, conference between only the Europeans was held to divide up the land appropriately, and the scramble for Africa began. The driving forces behind European imperialism in Africa were expanding empires, helping natives, and natural resources.
In early April of 1994 the plane carrying the Rwandan and Burundian Presidents, was shot down. Right after a genocidal mass slaughter began in Rwanda. The Rwanda genocide was a genocidal mass slaughter of the Tutsi and the moderate Hutu. The attacks were organized and committed by members of the Hutu paramilitary organizations and by people who once had been the victim’s friends or neighbors. After the genocidal the Rwandan’s came together to solve their problems and which is a great example of a collectivist society. James Neuliep defines collectivism in his book Intercultural Communication as a “cultural orientation where the group is the primary unit of culture. Group goals take precedence over individual goals.” Through those three months
Rwanda, a little territory residing in east-central Africa, resembles close to the size of Maryland. Many believe that the Kingdom of Rwanda was founded by European explorers in 1854. It was occupied by Belgian troops during World War I. On January 28, 1961 it became known as Rwandan Republic. On July 1, 1962 they established their independence from Belgium and then on June 4, 2003 it became known as the Republic of Rwanda. Rwanda has come a long way since its founding. Now one of the largest regions in Africa as far as population and economic growth, Rwanda continues to grow. Though some say that the poverty level remains much more than any other region, it is still a place I want to visit.
After World War I, Rwanda joined the League of Nations mandate of Belgium, along with their close neighbor, Burundi. During Rwanda’s colonial period, the Belgian people preferred the Tutsi people over the Hutu. The Tutsi enjoyed 20 years of better jobs and more educational opportunities.
The Rwandan genocide occurred due to the extreme divide between two main groups that were prevalent in Rwanda, the Hutu and the Tutsi. When Rwanda was first settled, the term Tutsi was used to describe those people who owned the most livestock. After the Germans lost control over their colonies after World War I, the Belgians took over and the terms Hutu and Tutsi took on a racial role (Desforges). It soon became mandatory to have an identification card that specified whether or not an individual was a Hutu, Tutsi, or Twa (a minority group in Rwanda). The Tutsi soon gained power through the grant of leadership positions by the Belgians. Later on when Rwanda was tying to gain indepe...
When Rwanda was first settled, the people there raised cattle, the ones with the most cattle were considered “Tutsi” and everyone else was ‘Hutu”. Before the Europeans came and settled Rwandan, Hutu could easily change to Tutsi through marriage or by gaining cattle and Tutsi could change to Hutu by lost of cattle. It wasn’t until Belgium took control after Germany lost most of it’s colonies during World War One (and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles) that the names took on a racial role. They (the Belgians) required everyone to have an identity card that labeled them Tutsi, Hutu, or Twa- the small group of hunter-gathers who made up 1% of Rwanda’s population. The Belgians and German both thought the Tutsi minority had more European characteristics, such as lighter skin and a taller build, and gave the Tutsi all the roles of responsibility. This angered the Hutu. Later, in 1959, when
...ause the colonial masters believed that they resembled them. It was unethical for the Belgians to interfere with the peaceful coexistence that the two communities had enjoyed in the past. As a result, the Hutus acquired negative misconceptions about the Tutsis’ origin, what they stood for, and what they had done for them in the past. The Hutus expertly planned and organized the Rwandan genocide as a result of such historical distortions created by their country’s colonial masters.
The Tutsis were favored and felt superior to the Hutu and Twa. This caused much tension and jealousy between the two groups. The greater half of Rwanda, known as the Hutu, are a big part of the social issues that took place in 1994 as they overthrew the Tutsi power. The Hutu were located in both Rwanda and Burundi and while they wanted to gain power in both countries, the Hutu of Rwanda forcefully took over the Tutsi ruler. The Rwandan Hutu were in command until 1994 when they were invaded by the Tutsi.
Colonization by both the Germans and Belgium's outlined religion in, the country of Rwanda.Early colonization by the belgians and Germans brought few changes to the landscape of rwanda.Although religious views such as Roman Catholicism were instilled upon the culture of Rwanda.These religious views broke the already existing tribal affiliated and indigenous views of the early people.The growing fascination among Europeans drove the Belgians to change the government in Rwanda.To change the goveremnt in Rwanda, the Belian sused religion to gain piower in goverment.The people in power (those of the Roman Catholic Church due to colinization) placed the Tutsi in power in the goverment,and left the Hutus to farm land.The determinination of who was in power we...
Under the Hutu’s government reign the people of Rwanda voted to become a republic. A year later on July 1, 1962 Ruanda-Urandi became two separate countries. Though Belgium was no longer in power over Rwanda, ethnic dissension continued to affect the people. At independence a Hutu was elected, and later on another Hutu whom favored his ethnicity came into power. Hutu’s continued to dominate the governme...