WHIB Rwanda

Juvenal Habyarimana

Juvenal Habyarimana

Leader of Rwanda after taking power in a coup. Party was MRND.

Network Zero

Anti-Tutsi groups

Akazu

Clan, Habyarimana’s inner circle, pro-genocide, wanted to hold onto power

Coffee

75% of exports were coffee, prices crashed

Population Density of Rwanda

Very high

RTLM

Pro-genocide radio, huge contributor to genocide, would publish kill lists with names and addresses of Tutsi and moderate Hutu

Interahamwe

Youth wing of the MRND, main perpetrators of genocide

Kangura

Pro-genocide magazine

RPF

Rwandan Popular Front, led by Paul Kagame, fought Hutu government

UNAMIR

United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda, led by Romeo Dallaire, started with 2,500 soldiers

Machetes

Common weapons in genocide due to low cost, bought from China

Genocide Cable

Dallaire contacted by Jean Pierre, warned of genocide, sent to UN

Habyarimana’s Assassination

Jet shot down, various sides blamed each other, concluded Hutu soldiers did it, led to increased calls for genocide

Causes of Genocide

Habyarimana’s death, high population density, fall in coffee prices, Akazu clan holding onto power

Who supported the Hutu government?

France

Death Toll of Genocide

1,000,000 dead in 100 days

Somalia Syndrome

US’ aversion to risking American soldiers’ lives in foreign interventions

Killing of Belgian Soldiers

Pressured international community to stay out

Shelter in Public Buildings & Churches

Encouraged by government, actually made killing easier

Rwanda & the UN Security Council

Rwanda got a seat, had access to discussions about not intervening

Resistance to UNAMIR

Force shrunk to ~450 soldiers, Jacques-Roger Booh-Booh downplayed genocide

Operation Turquoise

French operation to set up a safe zone for Tutsis

Operation Amaryllis

Evacuated westerners and Hutu officials

Clinton Apology

1998, Clinton apologizes for not intervening

Presidential Decree Directive 25

Prevents UN from using US soldiers against US interests

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

UN court in Tanzania for leaders of genocide

Gacaca Court

Court system used because so many lawyers and judges were dead. Criminals tried by community they harmed in very fast trial. Controversial.