IB HL World History: Rwanda (Conflict & Intervention)

Senior Yr of HS

K. Annan

Former Secretary of the United Nations; commanded General Dallaire to not take out arms caches

Arusha Accords

Peace agreements which aimed to end the Rwandan Civil War. Brought a ceasefire that gave Hutus time to prepare for the genocide by amassing weapons.

Assassinations of Habyarimana and Ntaryamira

Missiles were launched at the presidential plane, killing both leaders. Hutus blame the Tutsis for the killing, triggering genocide.

T. Bagosora

Former President of Rwanda; was a chief organizer of the killings of Tutsis and moderate Hutus and created the Interahamwe.

Belgian Policies

Introduced national ID cards to Rwanda in order to distinguish between Hutus and Tutsis. Served as a divide and rule policy that established stereotypical differences between the groups. Hutus used the cards to root out and exterminate Tutsis during the genocide.

Black Hawk Down

President George Bush sent peacekeeping troops to Somalia, but they were killed by an angry mob. UN and US representatives regretted being involved and did not want the same thing to happen in Rwanda.

B. Clinton

46th President of the United States; faced criticism for not responding adequately to the Rwandan genocide.

R. Dallaire

Brigadier general commanded to oversee the peace agreement in Rwanda. Found arms caches and asked for reinforcements to stop the impending genocide, but all his pleas were denied.

Gacacas

Community Justice System that blends local conflict resolution with the modern justice system. Helped Rwandans better understand the genocide, but the presence of complains that the system failed to catch all perpetrators remained.

Genocide - Legal Definition

Crime committed with the intent to destroy a people group, in whole or in part. Foreign powers hid behind the legal definition to avoid getting involved.

Genocide Cable

Dallaire’s warning to the UN that a genocide was coming, but the UN refused to respond.

J. Habyarimana

Second President of Rwanda; intentionally disadvantaged the Tutsis and blamed them for the country’s economic situation.

Hutus, Tutsis, and Twa

The groups of Rwanda separated by economic class (upper class: Tutsis; lower class/farmers: Hutus & Twa), establishing power inequality between groups, causing tensions to rise.

Hutu Power Movement / Network Zero / Azaku

The inner circle of elites in the Rwandan government and an event that served as an attempt to make Tutsis seem non-human and blame them for the country’s economic state.

Hutu Ten Commandments

Rules that outlined what made a Hutu a traitor and why Tutsis were bad, reinforcing hatred against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

International Criminal Tribunal

A group responsible for prosecuting those responsible for the Rwandan genocide; brings a sense of safety and shows that genocides will not be tolerated by the world.

Inyenzi / Cockroaches

Term given by Tutsis to Hutus; reinforced dehumanization of Tutsis and justified the Hutus’ crimes.

UNAMIR Security Council Resolution 872

Decision to implement a peacekeeping operation in Rwanda to monitor the ceasefire created through the Arusha Accords.

Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)

The main Tutsi Force fighting against the MRND; their tactics led to an eventual win in the civil war.

PDD-25

Executive order by Bill Clinton intended to prevent the US from using UN peacekeeping operations as the center of its foreign policy.

Organization of African Unity

Intergovernmental group with a vision for a free and united country in control of its own future.

Operation Turquoise

UN mandated that France provide food, water, and medicine for refugees fleeing Rwanda; some argue the mission propped up the Hutu regime.

Operation Amaryllis

French dispatch of troops to evacuate foreign residents in Rwanda along with people in Habyarimana’s regime.

F.. Mitterrand

French President during Rwandan genocide; his strong relationship to Habyarimana influenced his view of the war, and French saw Tutsi as the enemies in the civil war.

P. Kagame

General of RPF; gained support through the president of Rwanda because the RPF had helped him in the past. Used guerilla warfare tactics to defeat Hutu regime.

Kibuye, Nyarubuye, & Ntarama Massacres

Tutsis gathered in churches to be safe from the genocide, but were killed just the same. Churches were often seen as a safe place, but during the genocide they were places of mass slaughter.

MRND (National Revolutionary Movement for Development—translated from French) & Interahamwe

Groups created by President Habyarimana which is responsible for most of the genocide which was partnered by their youth branch.

Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM)

A radio that sent out locations and anti-Tutsi propaganda; directly told Hutus to kill and dehumanize Tutsis and moderate Hutus.