People’s Roles In Rwanda Genocide

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People’s Roles in Rwanda Genocide People’s motivation contributes much to the damage level of genocide. In “Ethnicity and the Politics of History in Rwanda,” Newbury examines the Rwanda politics of history and indicates that the power holders use appeals to ethnicity as an excuse to seek for power. An author called Umutesi, in his article “Is reconciliation between Hutus and Tutsi possible?” describes the conflict between RPF and Hutu people from 1900 to 1996, in which the power is transposed again and again. Moreover, he identifies 5 steps that should be taken for real reconciliation. In another article called “Reconciliation in Rwanda: Education, History and the State,” Hodgkin describes that Rwanda government does a lot, especially in the educational field, to promote reconciliation. Hutus, Tutsis and moderate Hutus, and international communities were the three main groups in 1994 Rwanda genocide. They played the roles of government’s tool, scapegoats, and bystanders respectively. Hutu people, as the perpetrators in the genocide, played a role of government’s tool to help gain power. Genocide is the most violent way to gain power among power holders in Rwanda. According to Umutesi’s article, power was transposed between Hutu-dominated government and Tutsi- dominated government in 1962, 1973, 1990. All the changes were done in violent ways. Besidess, Tutsi people were labeled as enemies by hardliners of Hutu-led government. “The genocide was calculated to exterminate them; the hateful vitriol used against the Tutsi in the press and on radio broadcasts illustrated this thought process” (citation 1). Because Hutu people were not educated enough, they did not have independent thought and followed the instructions from their leaders. They became crazy to kill Tutsi people in revenge for the long-time conflicts and venom. Their deference to government and blindness

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