Research Papers

The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda subjected thousands of women to rape as part of a range of other genocidal atrocities. This article explores what it means in everyday life to be a descendant of such mothers. A qualitative study was conducted in eastern Rwanda where twelve respondents, all descendants of genocide-rape survivor mothers, participated in focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews.

Low-level violence and looting by women against one’s neighbors is perhaps, sadly, unsurprising but the involvement of female leaders in the genocide against the Tutsi (cabinet officials, nuns, journalists, nurses, and teachers) is striking and factually well-established. Were women more likely to be perpetrators of genocide violence in Rwanda than in other cases of mass violence or does it appear this way only because we have more evidence? Regardless of the answer, this essay seeks to explore the evidence we do have of leading female perpetrators and their motivation.

This study presents demographic findings about the transition of rural households from a period of civil war and genocide to a situation of relative peace. Findings are based on intensive household survey research. The study is the result of 8 months of field research in Rwanda over a period of 2 years. It will enable us to test the double-genocide thesis empirically for parts of the country.

The scale of the tragedy in Rwanda today needs no underscoring. What has occurred, and continues to take place, is a crime of enormous proportions. It is appropriate to call it genocide. This paper is concerned with the crime of genocide: the evidence that genocide is indeed taking place, the identities of those responsible for it, their motives, their means, and the implications of the mass murder for Rwanda, east and central Africa, and the world.

The results of the study show that age, sex, the sex of the head of the household, the size of rented land, off-farm income, gross household income and farm-level anti-erosion investment significantly determine the probability of a household member to become a perpetrator of genocide. These results are then interpreted in the political economy of Rwanda.

The analysis shows that Tutsi from the sectors of Mabanza commune whose Tutsi population did not (or only in limited numbers) go to the Gatwaro Stadium had a better chance to survive the genocide in Kibuye. The analysis shows that the probability to be killed with a fire-arm depended on the commune of residence of the victim, the age of the victim, the number of days after April 6 the victim was killed and on interaction effects between the latter two variables and the sex of the victim.

This paper explores the role of the “ethnic” categories “Hutu,” “Tutsi” and “Twa” in their everyday relations and relationships. Through exploring their narratives, practices and social interactions, the paper demonstrates that—despite current state policies that seek to de-emphasize “ethnic” identities—ethnicity remains salient in contemporary Rwanda. Exploring the complexities, contradictions and uncertainties of these processes of categorization, this paper investigates the relationship between “conceptual” categories and “concrete” persons in contemporary Rwanda.

This paper provides an examination of the speeches and the ideology of the Habyarimana regime which ruled Rwanda from 1973 to 1994. The author assesses the impact of the regime ideology on the development of the country and the outbreak of the 1994 genocide. The paper further examines the underlying peasant ideology of the country and its relation to genocide.

This paper discusses how women were mobilized before and during the genocide, the specific actions of women who exercised agency and finally what happened to these women in the aftermath of the genocide. It asserts that women played an active role in the Rwandan genocide but are often excluded from the dominant narrative. It also addresses the implications of ignoring female perpetrators of genocide.

This comprehensive work aims at establishing the truth of the past and promoting the critical mind of the future. The framework used is especially important in educating the youth, who can now claim improved tools for accessing knowledge of their national history. This work gives a balanced account of events but certainly does not provide an exhaustive account of everything that took place. Its objective is to provide basic, objective information about the essential aspects of the evolution of Rwanda, some of which are deeply controversial.

This study aims to explore community perceptions and understandings of Rwandan Genocide Memorials. In building genocide memorials, Rwanda is refusing to let go unrecognized the victims of genocide. Through pictures, graphics and photographs, genocide memorials talk to the community. The population reads and interprets differently the messages genocide memorials communicate. The community’s interpretation is often influenced by various personal experiences and by social, cultural, political and religious environments.

This study aimed to highlight factors used by the Belgian authorities to divide Rwandans during the Colonial Reform Process between 1926 and 1931. More specially, it is aimed at identifying how they mobilised Hutu, Tutsi and Twa social classes and transformed the ethnic identities. The scarcity of environmental resources increased the desire to monopolise control of the country as this was continually perceived as only means of access to resources. This led Rwandan politicians to use ethnicity as a way to secure power. Consequently, a culture of ethnic violence became entrenched. This culminated in genocide from April to July 1994.

In 1994 genocide against the Tutsi occurred in Rwanda. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is one of the memorials which stands as a reminder of the horror, in order to inform the community to keep watching. This raised the curiosity of the researcher, to analyze how these new symbols can contribute to restore and revitalize social and cultural values in the context of Rwanda.

This thesis is an analytical exploration of the root causes of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It explains how Tutsi became non-indigenous Hamities and how Hutu became native indigenous, leaving the two populations to be identified along racial and ethnic lines. In 1933, the Belgians introduced identity cards which specified one’s ethnic affiliation, giving birth to political identities as Hutu and Tutsi ceased to become cultural identities and became political identities.

The article examines the Rwandan history and its relationship to the employment of humiliation. According to the author, social inequalities had persisted even before Belgium took control of Rwanda. The ranks of society were based on the proprietorship of cows. With the introduction of forced labor, The Belgian authorities convinced the people that no differences existed between services rendered and forced labor. But, the Hutu was forced to submit to the humiliation of forced labor under the Tutsis. As a result, genocide followed and created the most tragic catastrophe of death, misery, and humiliation that the Hutus could inflict on the Tutsis.