A historical timeline of

Rwanda

1911 - 2007

BY: Mimi B.

1911 Tutsi Vs Hutus

In 1911, the Tutsi rebelled against the Hutus in northern parts of Rwanda. The Germans were on the Tutsi side helping to put down the Hutus for not wanting Tutsi control. Though outnumbered by the Hutus, the Tutsi were still able to conquer the Hutu people. This caused the Northern Hutus to be resentful towards the Tutsi and Germans.

1916

Belgium takes over

The Belgian forces take over control to govern Rwanda. After Germany lost World War I, Belgium accepted the League of Nations mandate. Rwanda-Urundi were together placed under the rule of Belgium. After World War II ended Rwanda-Urundi became administered by Belgium as a UN “trust territory”.

Hutu & Tutsi Differentiate

• In 1933, identification cards to classify ones identity were established. The Tutsi was the minority yet the upper class. The Hutus were the larger but lower class.You could tell the difference between the two based off their outward appearance. Hutu Tutsi

1959 “the wind of destruction”

In November of 1959, the Hutus rebel against the Tutsi. Caused by the outrage of a important Hutu, Dominique Mbonyumutwa being beaten up, rumored to have been killed. The Hutus found it time to take a stand and rise up against the Tutsi powers. This forced around 150,000 Tutsi’s to escape into Uganda.

1961-1962 gain of independence

It wasn’t until 1961 that Rwanda became its own country. Rwanda and Burundi become two independent and separate countries after Belgian withdraws and gives them their independence. The Tutsis flee to Burundi where they are in power while the Hutus have power in Rwanda. From the Hutus revolution comes the presidential election from the Parmehutu party, GregoireKayibanda.

1988 Refugees flee to Rwanda & RPf founded

An outbreak of violence in Burundi caused 50,000 refugees to flee into Rwanda. These refugees were Hutu, the violence was related to their ethnicity. Following this flee of refugees into Rwanda, the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi army was founded by Tutsi rebels.

1990 share of power

The Tutsi rebel army, the RPF invaded back into Rwanda to get their form of peace and control. They forced the Hutu president at the time, Juvenal Habyalimana to sign a for a share of power. The mandate stated that the Hutu and Tutsi would have an equal amount of power and share control.

April 1994 Genocide Sparked

• On April 6, 1994 two presidents were killed when the plane carrying them was shot down by ground fired missiles. Rwanda’s president, Habyalimana and the new president of Burundi, CyprienNtaryamira were returning from a peace in Tanzania returning to Kigali, Rwanda. Following this, Hutu extremists took violent action in targeting Hutu politicians and Tutsi leaders.

April 1994-July 1994 The Rwandan Genocide

• Starting in April with the death of Rwanda and Burundi presidents, Hutu extremists started the killings. They would search for innocent Tutsi families and slaughter them where ever found. All Hutu people joined in with the killing of the minority which were the Tutsi people. By May, it was estimated about 500,000 Tutsi had been killed. When things started getting worst the UN pulled out their troops. Armed Tutsi rebels entered neighboring countries and were able to defeat the Hutu and stop the genocide. By then, July 1994 an average of about 800,000 people had been killed.

1996 refugee camps close

The refugee camps located in Zaire are now forcing refugees back into Rwanda. The Rwandan troops invade the camps and attack the Hutu militia. In order for Zaire’s reparation, Rwanda refugees are forced by the troops to go back into Rwanda.

2001

A New flag

In December of 2001, Rwanda took effort in trying to promote country unity and reconciliation. A new flag and national anthem were created in this effort. The start to rebuild the countries nationalism had to start somewhere.

2002 peace deal

Rwanda and the DR Congo sign a peace deal. The deal stated that Rwandan troops will pull out of DR Congo and the DR Congo will disarm Hutu gunman. The Hutu gunman were supposedly responsible for some killings of the Tutsi in 1994.They went into the DR Congo to sustain Congolese rebels against the Kabila government. They were all out by October of 2002.

2003 election

The first national presidential elections since the 1994 genocide elected president Paul Kagame in August of 2003. Kagame was a previous president of Rwanda in 2000 after the president at the time was dismissed. Kagame dislikes the United Nations for its lack of effort in their role of the 1994 genocide.

March 2004 un takes blame

• On March 24, 2004 the UN opened a memorial conference of the Rwanda genocide after 10 years of continuous remorse. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan took personal blame for the deaths ignored by other world leaders. He accepted the institutional blame for these deaths at the memorial conference.

2003-2007 prisoners released

In July of 2005 the government continues its third phase of mass release of prisoners. Most have confessed to being involved with in the 1994 genocide. In February of 2007 about 7,000 more are released in order to avoid prison overcrowding. Since 2003 60,000 prisoners have been freed.

Works consulted

• "BBC NEWS | Africa | Country profiles | Timeline: Rwanda." BBC NEWS | News Front Page. 03 Feb. 2009 .

• 03 Feb. 2009

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• "Frontline: Rwanda Chronology." PBS. 03 Feb. 2009

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• "Genocide in Rwanda, Rwanda Genocide, Rwanda Massacres." Human Rights, Human Rights violations, Human Rights Organization, Turkish, Genocide, Massacre 20th Century Genocides, Victims of Turkey, Holocaust. 04 Feb. 2009 .

• "Hutu-Tutsi conflict." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. 03 Feb. 2009

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