Why Did Rwanda Genocide Happened?

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Many may speculate as to how the genocide could have occurred because the question of why it occurred has been thoroughly answered. Gérard Prunier bluntly explains how, saying that:
“The genocide happened not because the state was weak, but on the contrary because it was so totalitarian and strong that it had the capacity to make its subjects obey absolutely any order, including one of mass slaughter” (354).
His explanation holds true considering the Habyarimana regime was capable in persuading Hutu civilians into murdering their neighbors if they were Tutsi. Also, since the genocide, the government has not changed significantly, rather it became more of a burden on the people than before with many Rwandans suggesting “that they look forward …show more content…
The Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the government and previous military commander in the Rwandan Patriotic Army, Pasteur Bizimungu, assumed command as President of Rwanda. The international community was rightfully suspicious of the new regime under the RPF, “which had the courage to halt the genocide,” but the RPF could be held accountable for the deaths of 250,000 Hutu civilians inside Rwanda (Pottier 39, Clark 83). It was the reciprocated genocide of the Hutu “which stopped genocide against their own co-ethnics,” however, the new regime was quick to assure, and continues to assure today, that the number of Hutu casualties were far fewer and that the Tutsi were the victims in this conflict (Rettig 26). The dilemma now faced by the international community was whether or not to support the RPF or replace it, knowing they had ‘unknowingly’ supported the Habyarimana regime’s massacre of the Tutsi. “This rude awakening” of supporting mass murder, “coupled with Western guilt at not preventing the genocide, made many in the international community reluctant to point a finger at Rwanda’s RPF and the government it had put in place in July 1994” (Pottier 39). Thus, the only option was to allow the RPF to assume control and hope it would establish a fair and honest …show more content…
There is little room for doubt as to the intentions of the RPA in this interstate offensive with neighboring countries, even though Minister of Defense and future president, Paul Kagame, would claim it was merely a coincidence. At this time, Kagame had become a professional at manipulating the media and convincing the international community that the situation was under control and the operation was authorized and supported by other nations (Pottier 107-108). Under Kagame’s authority is where the media first began experiencing misinformation and manipulation that continues to this
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