Rwanda: 31 years on, memory and reflection in the face of the Tutsi genocide
This year marks 31 years since one of the greatest tragedies in our recent history: the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Every 7 April, the world commemorates the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This date, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003, marks the beginning of one of the darkest episodes in recent history, in which around one million Tutsi were killed over a period of approximately 100 days. Those who opposed this massacre, such as certain moderate Hutus, were also killed during this episode.
The 1994 genocide in Rwanda was the result of deep-seated ethnic tensions between Hutu and Tutsi, exacerbated by political and social factors. These conflicts worsened severely during the 19th century. During this period, Rwanda was a monarchy where the king was supported by officials who were ethnic Tutsis. Although Tutsis were a minority in the region, they held the top positions and owned land and livestock.
After the arrival of European settlers in 1894, these differences were further intensified. Rwanda, along with Burundi, became part of a territory administered by Belgium under a mandate from the then League of Nations. The Belgians favoured the Tutsi minority, deepening inter-ethnic tensions.
World War II provoked further disputes, and after decolonisation and the spread of Pan-Africanism, the Hutus revolted against Tutsi authority, leading to what became known as the Rwandan Revolution of 1959, in which Hutus attacked Tutsi property and forced the flight of King Kigeli V. This led to the exile of 130,000 Tutsis, and in 1962 the Hutus came to power.
In the first democratic elections, the Hutu Emancipation Movement Party emerged victorious and appointed Grégoire Kayibanda as president. This was followed by a harsh repression that left 10,000 Tutsis dead.
This violence led by Kayibanda led to the coup d’état of General Juvénal Habyarimana in 1973. Habyarimana was a moderate Hutu who sought to bring about peaceful coexistence in the country. However, Rwanda was in a deep economic crisis and in 1990 the Rwandan Patriotic Front attempted to enter the country from Uganda. This attempted coup d’état was stopped thanks to French assistance with the signing of the Arusha Accords in 1993, which were intended to put an end to the country’s internal war, the return of exiled Tutsis and a transitional government with the Rwandan Patriotic Front.
These conditions alarmed the Hutus and the leaders of the Hutu Power encouraged massacres against the Tutsi ethnic group. On 6 April 1994, the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira, both ethnic Hutu, was shot down in circumstances that remain unclear. This event triggered a wave of systematic violence directed mainly against the Tutsi population and moderate Hutus who opposed the regime.
During the 100 days following 7 April, Hutu militias, known as Interahamwe, together with sections of the army and civilians incited by intense propaganda, carried out massacres across the country.
The toll of the genocide was devastating: some 800,000 people were killed, wiping out 75% of Rwanda’s Tutsi population, and some 250,000 women were raped, leaving a nation in chaos and grief in its wake.
On 8 November 1994, the United Nations Security Council established the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which resulted in the conviction of 61 people guilty of genocide. In addition, community courts known as gacaca were established in Rwanda with the intention of advancing the prosecution of hundreds of thousands suspected of genocide and awaiting trial. These efforts have been instrumental in rebuilding the country’s social fabric and fostering peaceful coexistence among its citizens.
The International Day of Reflection not only honours the memory of the victims, but also serves as a reminder of the need to prevent future genocides. UNESCO and other international organisations emphasise the importance of education and historical memory as tools to combat hatred and promote peace.
The Rwandan genocide underscores how quickly hatred can escalate into extreme violence when combined with propaganda and ethnic divisions. Today, the proliferation of hate speech in various parts of the world reminds us of the importance of remaining vigilant and proactive in promoting tolerance and mutual understanding. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, says:
‘We must combat hate speech if we are to prevent future genocide.’
Carmen Coleto Martínez, junior project manager at FIBGAR
