The Assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana

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Recommended: Consequences of the Rwandan genocide

This investigation studies two of the causes of the 1994 genocide of Rwanda. The two causes are examined in order to see to what extent each contributed to the genocide. The social and ethnic conflicts between two Rwandan groups called the Hutus and the Tutsis caused violent disputes and riots. The assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana is often thought of as the event that sparked the mass murders. Did the assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana influence the Rwandan genocide of 1994 more than the ongoing social and ethnic conflicts?

Both the short and long term causes are studied. The genocide could have resulted from numerous built up problems or one specific event. It is clear that for hundreds of years, the Hutus and Tutsis had problems with each other. When the Europeans first settled in Rwanda, the differences between the two groups began to show. While the Tutsis received better opportunities, the Hutus began to despise them. The president’s death did cause chaos, but it was chaos between two groups that already did not get along. Juvenal Habyarimana’s death was not the reason why the Hutus and Tutsis did not get along. Situations from the past were the cause of their disagreements that seemed to get worse with time. The research leads to the conclusion that the conflicts between the Hutus and the Tutsis had the greater influence on the genocide.

Introduction

Over the years, there have been several horrible genocides. One of the most infamous genocides occurred in Rwanda in 1994. Within three months, approximately 800,000 Tutsis and Hutus were slaughtered. Beginning in April of 1994 a group called the Hutus began to slaughter the Tutsis without any remorse. The genocide was a result of high tensi...

... middle of paper ...

...rt in every decision that was made. Social and ethnic conflicts caused everyone to blame each other without thinking twice. The strong hate and jealousy between the Hutus and the Tutsis definitely was one of the biggest influences of the Rwandan of 1994. The assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana seemed to just be another reason to fight, but it did not appear to influence the genocide more than the social and ethnic conflicts in Rwanda.

Works Cited

"About the Rwandan Genocide." Rwanda File. Ed. Jake Freyer. N.p., n.d. Web. 18

Jan. 2012. .

Caplan, Gerald. The Betrayal of Africa. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2008. Print.

Fisanick, Christina, ed. The Rwandan Genocide. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven

Press, 2004. Print.

Koopmans, Andy. Rwanda. Broomall: Mason Crest Publishers, 2005. Print.

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