Background The colonization of Rwanda started with the arrival of the Germans in 1897 and continued under Belgian rule in 1916. Early colonialists considered Tutsi as more intelligent and therefore superior to Hutus and ruled Rwanda through the Tutsi monarchy and its chiefs Rwanda strong leadership. Centralized leadership. Full control and follow up of all national matters. Respect governance hierarchy. Colonization In 1933 - 1934: Belgians introduced ID cards which assigned an ethnic identity to each individual. Each person was classified as belonging to the Hutu, the Tutsi or the Twa. Belgians made the discrimination between the two groups greater and yet the Hutus and Tutsis were still living together peacefully, having same language, same culture, marring from each other's family. Divide and rule: The transformation from a society divided into occupational classes into a society divided into artificially created ethnic groups is considered as the root cause for the protracted social conflict that was to follow. Genocide ideology In 1957, five years before independence, a group of nine Hutu intellectuals published the "Hutu Manifesto" which criticized the Tutsi dominance and described them as invaders. Role of clergymen Bishop Classe: "If we want to position ourselves at the practical point of view and seek the country's interest, we have in the Mututsi youth an incomparable element of progress, which no one who knows Rwanda can underestimate". 1959 Revenge by Hutu against the colonizers' ideology, but the victims were Tutsi group (as they were described by the Belgians). Many were killed, others fled the country to neighboring countries. Independence in 1962 Belgians left the country in a state of discord. Soon the Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement (PARMEHUTU) came into power. Revenge and many Tutsis were killed. More than 200,000 Tutsi refugees fled to neighboring countries Efforts to return home Between 1961 and 1973, Tutsi refugees from surrounding coun ... Читать далее