Rwandan Genocide

April 1994 - July 1994

Background

Belgium colonized Rwanda in the 1800s

People / Population

• 10,746,311 population

• Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

People / Population

Ethnic Group Breakdown:

• Hutu (84%)

• Tutsi (15%)

• Twa (1%)

Economy

• Rwanda is mostly a poor rural country

Kigali, Rwanda

2 Ethnic Groups in Genocide

1. Hutus (majority)

2. Tutsis

1959Hutus overthrew the Tutsi king

Thousands of Tutsis were killed or exiled

RPF

Kids of the exiled Tutsis formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)

1990

Civil war begins

RPFvs.

Hutus

April 6, 1994

Genocide begins after the Hutu president’s airplane was shot down

Hutus were given permission to kill all Tutsis

July 4, 1994Genocide Ends

Tutsi rebels (RPF) defeat the Hutus

RPF gain control over all of Rwanda

July 4, 1994Genocide Ends

800,000 – 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed

150,000-250,000 women raped

1,400,000 refugees

Genocide

People Left with Scars

Genocide Memorials