Rwanda: Course & Interventions

Course of events

In April 1994, mass systematic murder of about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda began, lasting for 100 days.
The killing was initiated by ethnic Hutus, driven by long-standing ethnic tensions exacerbated by socio-political factors.
A crucial trigger for the genocide was the death of the moderate Hutu president Juvénal Habyarimana, in a plane crash on April 6, 1994.
The murder was organised at a high level in the Rwandan government and military, implicating politicians, businessmen, and clergymen in the massacre.
Major tools used included propaganda-spreading radio stations such as RTLM, as well as imported weapons including machetes.
Genocide ended only after the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel group, took control of the country.

International Interventions

Despite clear forewarning, the international community failed to prevent the genocide due to a combination of a lack of political will, bureaucratic hurdles and mistaken analysis.
United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) initially maintained a hands-off approach and later withdrew, following violence against its peacekeepers.
Belgium, a key participant in the UN mission, pulled out its troops after ten Belgian peacekeepers were killed.
France launched Operation Turquoise in June 1994 under the UN humanitarian mandate, but its impartiality was questioned due to its historical support of the Hutu regime.
The African Union and individual African nations made concerted interventions in the aftermath, aiding in regional stabilization and refugee management.

Post-Genocide Reconstruction

After the genocide, the Tutsi rebel force, RPF, established a unity government that has ruled Rwanda since 1994.
Efforts were taken to foster reconciliation, with emphasis on a shared Rwandan identity, rather than Hutu or Tutsi.
Grassroots Gacaca courts were established to prosecute low-level genocide criminals and foster a restorative justice approach.
Conscious efforts were made to rebuild the economy and restore stability, with international aid and a focus on female empowerment, education, and healthcare.
As of today, Rwanda’s rebuilding is often cited as a notable case of effective post-conflict reconstruction, though government repression and human rights aspects remain contentious.