While there is no denying the atrocity of Rwanda’s past, this country
the size of Maryland in the heart of Central Africa is seeking to
build a brighter future.
Three main cultural groups exist in Rwanda, including the Hutu,
Tutsi, Twa. However, the lines between these groups are far more fluid
than one might think (U.S. State Department, Every Culture). The
boundaries between groups are determined mostly by socio-economic
differentiation and not necessarily permanent (Every Culture). For
example, Hutus are traditionally associated with land, Tutsis with
cows, and Twa with forest (Every Culture). Historically, affiliation
with a group was determined by paternal ancestry and intermarriage was
common (U.S. State Department).
The Hutu and Tutsi have a unique relationship that has proven to take
center stage in Rwanda’s history. The Hutu and Tutsi relationship is
defined by a system known as ubuhake, in which “Hutu farmers pledged
their services and those of their descendants to a Tutsi [patron] in
return for the loan of cattle and use of pastures and arable land”
(U.S. State Department).
Since the 1400s Rwanda existed as a monarchy, ruled by a lineage of
Tutsi kings and a hierarchy of Tutsi noble and gentry (Republic of
Rwanda, U.S. State Department). Overall, this monarchy served to be a
unifying symbol for Rwanda, representing the interest of Tutsi, Hutu
and Twa ethnic groups and allowing the population to “live in
symbiotic harmony” (Every Culture, Republic of Rwanda).
However, this harmony was eventually disrupted by colonization. First
colonized by Germany in 1899 and in 1919 passed to Belgium after WWI,
these colonial rulers enforced policies that bolstered greater ethnic
identification and polarization (Every Culture). These policies showed
favoritism to Tutsis at the expense of Hutus with a centralized
political system and introduced ideas of nationalism (Every Culture).
The monarchy and ubuhake became increasingly seen as a system of Tutsi
exploitation of Hutus (Every Culture). Furthering the tension, in the
1950s, the system of cattle vassalage was abolished and the Tutsi king
was deposed by Hutu politicians in 1969 (Every Culture, World
Factbook).
Tensions festered further to unrest when Rwanda gained independence
from Belgium in 1962. With a Hutu government, over the next few
decades, there was an increase of violence against Tutsis. However,
many Tutsis had fled or had been driven out into neighboring countries
(World Factbook). In 1990, these exiles formed the Rwandan Patriotic
Front (RPF) that started a civil war in 1990 (World Factbook). This
war, combined with “several political and economic upheavals” and
“exacerbated ethnic tensions” culminated to the 1994
“state-orchestrated genocide, in which Rwandans killed up to a million
of their fellow citizens, including approximately three-quarters of
the Tutsi population” (World Factbook). Eventually, later in 1994, the
RPF was able to oust the government, ending the violence.
With a policy of nondiscrimination at the forefront of all
advancements, Rwanda has made huge strides in reconstruction and
reconciliation since 1994 and ushered in an era of rapid social change
for the better. Most importantly, it has established a stable
government with “the foundations and institutional framework for a
modern democratic polity that responds in a principled way to its
deeply divided legacy” (Republic of Rwanda). Through this process,
Rwanda has instituted “a new constitution, separation of the three
branches of power,” a decentralized government, and a “new justice
system” in order to fight corruption and create a “credible, inclusive
and effective government” (Republic of Rwanda). In recent years,
especially, Rwanda has made substantial “socio-economic and political
progress” and has furthered the era of peace, stability and social
cohesion among Rwandans (Republic of Rwanda).
Works Cited:
The CIA World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/
Every Culture
http://www.everyculture.com/
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Country Profiles
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/
The Official Website of the Republic of Rwanda
http://www.gov.rw/
U.S. Department of State Background Notes on Rwanda
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/
