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European Colonisation of Africa
Belgian colonists took control of Rwanda and administered several German colonies. This was when they decided that among Hutus and Tutsis, the Tutsis were more capable of power. -
Identity Cards
By then, the Belgians issued identity cards to classify all citizens of Rwanda into either Hutu, Tutsi or Twa. -
Hutu Revolution
The Hutu Revolution, a movement to let Hutus gain equal power to that of Tutsis. This was a violent movement. Hundreds lost their lives and thousands of Tutsis fled the country. This exiles however, were not allowed to return to Rwanda -
Rwandan Independence
After the end of the Hutu Revolution, Rwanda gained its indepence and drove out the Belgian colonists. -
President of Rwanda
President Juvenal Habyarimana, the general of the Rwandan army rose to power and led the country. Creating a political party called the National Revolutionary Movement for Development,(MRND). This party helped improve Rwandas roads and lands and managed to attract foreign investors, helping the economy. -
RPF was formed
In 1986, a good amount of Tutsi exiles stuck together and created a rebellion. They called themselves the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The RPF would soon play a key role in ending the genocide. -
RPF First Invasion
The RPF, a rebel group consisting of exiled Tutsis. Mobilised their first invasion. This was then used by Habyarimana to make the people of Rwanda despise and hate the Tutsis. They labeled the RPF as dangerous. They also started to spread negative rumours and start negative propaganda campaigns about the Tutsis. -
Kibuye Massacre
In the city of Kibuye, Rwanda. Hundreds of Tutsis were killed as a plan to retaliate a report saying that the RPF soldiers were planning to kill a large number of Hutus. Sadly, the report was all made up and it was just an excuse to kill the Tutsis. -
Arusha Accords
By 1993, thousands of people have already lost their lives. So, to avoid anymore deaths and killings, the RPF and Habyarimana decided to sign a peace treaty, known as the Arusha Accords. This peace treaty mostly stripped Habyarimana of his power over Rwanda. The RPF members were now allowed to participate in debates, the soldiers were to be in the Rwandan Army and exiles were given back the right to return to Rwanda. -
Assassination of the President of Burundi
The RPF soldiers attacked Burundi and again met a strong Hutu retaliation. This led up to the death of the President Melchior Ndadye (a Hutu himself) along with a few thousand Tutsis. -
Assassination of President Juvenal Habyarimana.
President Juvenal Habyarimana, and President Cyprien Ntaryamira (President of Burundi) were assassinated. Their plane was shot down by unknown missiles. The Hutu extremists blamed the attack on the RPF but they denied that they had anything to do with it. -
The Start of The Genocide.
Violence broke out. Habyarimana's assassination was announced and again, blamed on the RPF. Pure hatred grew in the Hutus and Tutsis were targeted. Every Hutu participated in the killing and those that didn't were killed. -
French and Belgian support
Foreign nationals were evacuated from the country. France and Belgium aided the evacuation. But did nothing to stop the genocide. These soldiers then left the country without providing any aid to the victims and did not show any signs of stopping the genocide in progress. -
End of the Genocide
The RPF had already gained more parts of Rwanda until finally around July 1994, they captured Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. There they witnessed the violence that had happened. The guilty Hutus were already on their way out of the country.
