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| (from Air Force Africa) |
Despite having been a nation for centuries, Rwanda rarely ever felt like one. When this tiny African state still was a kingdom, it was ethnically divided in two main groups: the Tutsi, which conformed the ruling minority; and the Hutu, which made up the powerless majority. As a result, this injustice was the trigger for one of the bloodiest Civil Wars of the 20th century which killed over a million people in 4 years. Fortunately, the last marks of this dark chapter are the placid memorials which encourage Rwandans to forget its macabre past and to begin a new era of unification. One of the most iconic ones stands in the capital Kigali, serving as the rest place for thousands of people. But before fixating in this memorial site, a bit of history is necessary.
In the first place, the Rwandan Civil War wasn't catalyzed overnight; it has deep roots which reach far beyond colonialism. However, the first major sign of escalation took place under Belgian rule, "only" 31 years before the proper war. The Hutu were tired of the Tutsi dominion and uprised against them, provoking the so-called "Hutu Peasant Revolution" which forced the evacuation of thousands of Tutsi to neighboring countries. This, evidently, sharpened the tensions and the attacks, yet, the Hutu seemed to have the situation under control. Nonetheless, it would take a big turn after the inauguration of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in 1988, which opposed itself against the Hutu government and supported the repatriation of the 50 000 exiled Tutsi. The RPF launched an air attack with a force of 7000 fighters, creating many damages in the country. Instantly, the government labeled all the Tutsi and the opposing Hutu parties as enemies, which practically stated the beginning of the Civil War. This combat would last for three long years, until 1993, when both sides agreed on the peace treaty of Arusha. But this peace didn't hold long.
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| Juvénal Habyarimana (from Encyclopedia Britannica) |
The following year, current president Juvénal Habyarimana and the Burundian president died in a plane crash, after a missile collided against the aircraft. Without overthinking it, the government accused the RPF, and the peace had vanished into thin air: every recognized Tutsi was immediately killed, leaving behind tracks of dead bodies. The international community soon noticed what was going on, but when they finally sent troops, it was late: over a million had died. Still, they could stable again the situation and decided to put the RPF in charge, whilst they judged many commanding Hutu in the traditional Gacaca courts (the Justice Ministry had to revert this type of traditional open-air court as they had too many cases, that they couldn't handle them all in a proper courtroom. They simply chose a spot, a judge, and the trial could officially start).
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| Gacaca courts were used previously by village elders to discuss property matters (from Research Gate) |
The aftermath was defined by a profound era of mourning. Authorities worked hard at locating human remains, and even harder in announcing the suffered loss to the respective family. They buried all in masses, and honored them by building the several memorials which now form part of Rwanda's entity. With 250 000 deaths, Kigali suffered the worst part; but concealed them in the majestic Genocide Memorial on the hills of Gisozi, which by the way was inspired on the National Holocaust Memorial of the UK.
The complex is enclosed by concrete tombs, organized in three distinct levels. Inside they contain the various burial chambers, while the outside is sealed by a dark wall with the name of the victims encrypted on it. However, there are multiple empty spaces which await for the identification of the deceased. Then, there are the Memorial gardens which give the place a fresh and cozy atmosphere. All the same, the major part is the museum-like building which displays diverse text and photo panels combined with videos showing the tales of surviving eyewitnesses. The memorial's primary mission is to emphasize the prevention of crimes against humanity, a cause Rwandans understand all too well.
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| The site also owns a gallery with photographs of the deceased (from the official website) |
Today, Rwanda experiences for the first time unity. As time goes on, there are gradually less differences between Tutsi and Hutu. The country has become a safe travel destination and even hosted the Cycling World Tour Championship in 2025, which brought international vision over the reconciliation process. Still, there are traces of the Civil War in the present conflict of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the Tutsi militia M23 has occupied a zone of Rwanda's big neighbor, with an alleged support of the government...
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| A squadron of M23 militia troops (from BBC) |
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