Genocide War between the Hutu and Tutsi people of Rwanda - Essay Example

Causes of the genocide Though the Rwandan genocide occurred in the year 1994, its causes were wide spread into the country’s deep history that can be traced to independence period. Both sociological and psychological factors, as a result, accumulated to erupt into the horrific tribal based killings. One of the major sociological factors into the genocide was racial difference between the two communities. Though experts argue that the killings were not ethnically initiated, the genocide involved two ethic groups against each other.

The difference between the two communities that identifies superiority complex among the Hutus played a major role. The enjoyed peace that the country had for about five decades prior to the genocide explains this. The country for example enjoyed peace and security in the ‘five-decade’ period while under the rule of the Hutus. A move to shift power from the community was the immediate cause of the killings. As a result, it is understandable that power struggle that was racially based led to the genocide.

The powerful elites from the Hutu community could not accept a shift of power from their community and mobilize the Hutus into the killings (Stone, p. 31- 33). Another sociological factor into the genocide was the ‘long-term’ displacement of people from their ancestral land. Also viewed as an immediate cause of the genocide was the move by displaced people, who had in the past been forced to flee to other countries, to mobilize themselves into rebel forces with the aim of reclaiming their land.

The rebel movement, that was seen as a threat to the Hutus power then triggered mobilization of the Hutus community by their elites. This is because the rebels were majorly associated with the Tutsi community. The two communities had however coexisted peacefully and a large number of Hutus undertook the killings for fear of being attacked by their fellow Hutus. The organization into the Hutus attacks on the Tutsis particularly spread the message that even Hutus who sympathized or aided Tutsis would be killed.

The Hutus, as an ethnic group was therefore forced into the killings. Superiority complex among the Hutus was another factor towards into the killings. Even in the absence of manifested inter racial hatred, the Hutus traditionally perceived the Tutsis to be inferior and degraded. This explains why the Hutu elites could not tolerate a power shift to the Tutsis (stone, p. 31- 33). Psychological factors into the genocide on the other hand included fear among the Hutus elites. While the elites feared power shift to the rebel group, the organizers threatened the Hutus community into participation (Stone, p. 38- 40). David however identifies a mental seed, planted by the colonialist, as having played a role in psychological differences between the two communities into the final conflict (David, n.p.).

Timing of the genocide The Rwandan genocide took place in the year 1994. It started in the month of April and ended in July. Clark explains that the genocide took about 100 days (p. 12). Acknowledgement of the genocide The international community, individually as nations and collectively through the United Nations, recognized the Rwandan genocide. National leaders for example recognized the event and their failure to prevent it. The United Nation’s move to establish an international court was also an indication the international c