Rwanda Genocide

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Living in social groups is a fundamental part of human nature. Within in those societal groups, each group has their own unique culture. Culture can be defined as, “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social groups” (Merriam-Webster, 2018). It is important for military members to understand the unique cultural markers for different countries and societies around the world. In knowing the culture identifiers of different parts of the world, military members can be culturally competent and adequately care for people in society. In looking at the country of Rwanda in depth regarding their unique culture, topics such as languages, religion, foods, economics, …show more content…
A Modern-day genocide rampaged through Rwanda killing over an estimated 800,000 people just in 3 short months in summer months of 1994 (BBC, 2011). Conflict between the Tutsis and the Hutus festered for years. Belgium once controlled Rwanda and claimed the Tutsis were higher class than the Hutus. This sparked years of resentment between the two clans, allowing the Tutsis to have better access to work and education. In 1962, Rwanda became an independent country no longer under Belgium control, and the Hutus finally gained power. (BBC, 2011). Under the Hutus rule, tensions grew between political parties. “This genocide resulted from the deliberate choice of a modern elite to foster hatred and fear to keep itself in power” (Desforges, 1999). Similar to the Nazi mindset, ethnic cleansing was the only way the Hutus felt that they could continue and maintenance of their path to power. The Hutus recruited and put together a military for slaughter. When a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down, Hutus blamed the Tutsis. Road blocks were set up and required those wishing to pass to show identification. Tutsis were slaughtered on the scene and bodies piled up. Hutu men handed over their Tutsi wives out of fear they would be slaughtered themselves. Some woman were kept as sex slaves. Secret radio stations from extremists asked locals to find Tutsi themselves and begin their dirty work. In just one-hundred days, the death toll reached nearly one-million
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