The Rwandan genocide of 1994 was one of the most horrific events of the 20th century. Over the course of just 100 days, an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu were systematically murdered by Hutu extremists in a campaign of mass killings and sexual violence.

The roots of the genocide can be traced back to the colonial era, when the Belgian rulers exacerbated existing divisions between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. The Belgians favored the Tutsi minority, granting them preferential access to education and government positions, which fueled resentment among the Hutu majority. This ethnic divide only deepened in the years leading up to the genocide.

In 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group composed mostly of Tutsi refugees, invaded northern Rwanda from Uganda, sparking a civil war. Over the next three years, neither side was able to gain a decisive advantage. In an effort to end the conflict, the Rwandan government led by Hutu president Juvénal Habyarimana signed the Arusha Accords with the RPF in 1993.

However, the catalyst for the genocide was Habyarimana’s assassination on April 6, 1994, which created a power vacuum. Extremist Hutu soldiers, police, and militia immediately began a coordinated campaign to systematically eliminate the Tutsi population and moderate Hutu. Hutu civilians were recruited and armed with machetes, clubs, and other weapons, and encouraged to attack their Tutsi neighbors.

The scale and brutality of the genocide shocked the world, but the international community, including the United Nations, was criticized for its failure to intervene and stop the killings. The RPF eventually resumed its offensive and captured Kigali in July 1994, bringing an end to the genocide. In the aftermath, an estimated 2 million Hutu fled to neighboring countries, many of whom were later implicated in the massacres.

The legacy of the Rwandan genocide continues to haunt the country and the region. Efforts at recovery and reconciliation have faced significant challenges, and the presence of Hutu militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo has led to years of ongoing conflict.

The Rwandan genocide stands as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked ethnic hatred and the importance of the international community’s responsibility to protect vulnerable populations.