How and why did the war'genocide begin?
A.Tutsi minority group had long controlled the country due to Imperialism. Hutu exiles Invaded Rwanda and started fighting against the Tutsi to take control.
B.Hutu minority group had long controlled the country due to Imperiallam. Tutal exiles invaded Rwanda and started fighting against the Hutu.
C.The Belgium minority group had long controlled the country due to Imperialism. Tutal leaders began the war to take the country back.
The correct answer is A. Tutsi minority group had long controlled the country due to Imperialism. Hutu exiles invaded Rwanda and started fighting against the Tutsi to take control.
In Rwanda, the Tutsi minority group had historically held power due to their perceived historical connection to the ruling elite. This power dynamic was further reinforced during the period of Belgian colonial rule when the Tutsi were favored and given privileged positions. However, resentment had been building among the Hutu majority, who felt marginalized and oppressed.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hutu activism grew, leading to demands for independence and ending Tutsi domination. In 1959, a Rwandan revolution resulted in the overthrow of the Tutsi monarchy and the establishment of a Hutu-led government. Many Tutsi, including elites and military personnel, were forced into exile.
The exiled Tutsi, who became known as the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), vowed to return and reclaim power. In 1990, the RPF launched a military invasion from Uganda, with the aim of overthrowing the Hutu-dominated government and demanding political reforms. This invasion by Tutsi exiles sparked a civil war that lasted for four years.
The conflict escalated into a full-scale genocide in 1994, primarily orchestrated by extremist Hutu elements within the government and military. Hutu militias, known as the Interahamwe, began systematically targeting Tutsis and moderate Hutus, aiming to exterminate the Tutsi population. This genocide resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 people.
The war and genocide can be seen as a culmination of long-standing ethnic tensions, political grievances, and power struggles in Rwanda, with both ethnic groups vying for control and seeking to address historical injustices.