2007-11-09 03:41:46 · 6 answers · asked by ohyerrr 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Rwanda was a colony of Belgium and the Belgians set up the distinction of Hutu v. Tutsi and required it to be on the person's identity cards. They favored the Tutsis over the Hutu, probably because they are more Caucasian in their appearance. They got all the good jobs, money,property, etc. The Hutu, looking more Negroid, were left the dreck.
When the Country was granted it's freedom - the Belgians bugged out.
When the Hutu rebelled and the Tutsi's (and Hutu) begged the United Nations (ha) for help - nothing.
Read the book Hotel Rwanda or see the movie. It's excellent - but heart wrenching.
The Commander of the UN forces, a French Canadian, tried to commit suicide several years after he left the service. He was SO ashamed that he could not do anything for the people.
A good man. The UN is a joke.
2007-11-09 04:11:49 · answer #1 · answered by Sprouts Mom 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Additionally when the Belgians pulled out of Rwanda the complexion of the situation turned. The UN could not move to a concensus to interevene, thus the resources on the ground were inadequate, and engaged in the situation with only a peace keeper mandate. Basically passive observers unless attacked.
The unwillingness of other nations to step into the situation allowed enough time to pass for the genocide to occur.
2007-11-09 12:06:51 · answer #2 · answered by ADV 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Rwanda was a Belgian colony. Belgium is a European nation. The Belgians caused the rift between the Hutus and the Tutsis by saying they were different, and giving the Tutsis (a minority) most of the power. Belgium wasn't the only Euro country to do that; most of them divided the people they later conquered and used the vanquished people's hatred to help them plunder them all the more.
2007-11-09 11:45:08 · answer #3 · answered by . 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Mainly the French and not all Europeans. the French had the ability since Rwanda is a former colony, to stop the genocide. They did nothing and stood by as a million died.
2007-11-09 11:44:19 · answer #4 · answered by The Oracle 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
When European colonists carved up the continent of Africa, they did so without any regard for cultural, ethnic, or tribal boundaries, then they essentially used the divide and conquer method: fan the flames of distrust and hatred amongst the "natives" to keep them at war with each other lest they unite and overthrow the interlopers.
2007-11-09 12:13:39 · answer #5 · answered by Bee Bee 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
and if those countries were still Belgian...or French or English or whomever..none of this would have happened.
A Politically Incorrect but Inconvenient Truth.
2007-11-09 12:44:36 · answer #6 · answered by yankee_sailor 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋