Rwandan and Guatemalan Genocide - Term Paper Example

As the definition of political self and political others has different connotation in different ages. (Mamdani, 2002). Mamdani is of the view that genocide has to be understood 'within the logic of colonialism.' Since the colonialism generated two types of impulses of genocide: the genocide of natives by the colonialists [settlers] and second was the impulse of natives to do away with the settlers. But the violence of natives was not taken as genocide for it all was justified by the application of self defense.

As for Fanon the violence of the natives intended to end the violence of the usurpers [the colonialists] and such violence germinated the seed of a new humanism. Rwanda is the smallest country in Central Africa; comprising of population of 7 million people. There exist two main ethnic groups in the country; the Hutu (80-90%) and Tutsis (10-15%). During the colonial occupation of Belgium the Tutsis were the ruling elite dominating the Hutu peasantry. After the independence of Rwanda in 1962 the Hutu majority took over the power.

The new ruling elite started oppressing the Tutsis forcing them to flee and consequently, 200,000 Tutsis fled to the neighboring countries. The Tutsis in retaliation formed the Rwanda Patriotic Front which succeeded in forcing the Hutu president in 1990to concede to the power sharing agreement. (seehttp://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/rwanda.htm) The ethnic tension in Rwanda was heightened in 1993 after the assassination of Melchior Ndadaye, the first elect Hutu president of neighboring Burundi.

25000 peace keeping troops of the United Nations were dispatched to take care of the 'fragile cease fire' between the Tutsis rebels and the Hutu government. As the Hutu were reluctant to share power with.Tutsis and wanted annihilation of the rival tribe. In April 1994, Rwanda president Habyalimana and the new president of Burundi Cyprien Ntaryamira had a several peace meetings with Tutsi rebels. On April 6 when the two presidents were coming from Tanzania were killed on the Kigali airport by gunning down their plan.

This incident fanned the political violence in Rwanda as the Hutu started killing their opponents even the moderates Hutus were not spared. The Study of the Genocide in Rwanda:Mamdani(2002) has the view that genocide has to be understood "within the logic of colonialism". A few lines published In the article The Genocide in 20th Century , on the site The History Place may help us to focus our study on the above