In the cold night of April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana was shot down. He was Hutu. The following day, annihilation of the Tutsis began. For 100 days, Tutsis were killed like cockroaches.
By the time Paul Kagame's led RPF took control, about a million Rwandans have been butchered. This constituted about 70% Tutsi population & 20% Rwandan population. It was genocide in the real sense of genocide.
But you see, the seed was sown as far back as 1959. The Hutu revolt of 1959 against colonial rule did not go down well with the Tutsis.
Before then, in 1916, Belgian colonists produced identity cards classifying Rwandans according to their ethnicity. The Tutsis welcomed the idea. For decades it was their ticket for juicy jobs, educational & political opportunities ahead of the Hutus. This turned out to be their greatest undoing in the winter of 1994.
What exactly powered Rwanda's genocide. Religion? Ethnicity? Political? Injustice? Or the innate desire to dominate ?
Hutus & Tutsis have many things in common - they speak same language ( Bantu ), same traditions, they inhabited same areas & about 90% are Christians, yet one sought to annihilate the other.
If you probe deeper, you'll realise that your beliefs, customs, & traditions are not as powerful as the quest for political power. Who cares about your religion & tribe when power is at stake.
Your religion & tribe can only be deployed as a means to an end. A mere tool for political power.
In 1987, IBB refused to prosecute Rev Bako & other participants after inciting the first major religious crisis in Southern Kaduna that led to the slaughter of Muslims, Fulanis & destruction of many Mosques. IBB’s failure to prosecute was grave injustice. But it was not injustice against your religion or tribe. It was injustice against humanity. It was for political gain.
From 2011 - 2015, GEJ treated Boko Haram crisis with kid gloves. Many Churches were attacked, Christians were massacred, clergy men were slaughtered. Jonathan’s failure to act was grave injustice. But it was not injustice against your religion or tribe. It was injustice against humanity. It was for political gain.
Recently Herdsmen are on rampage across the country causing havoc under the watchful eyes of PMB without arrests. Under the same President, killers of Mrs.Bridget Agbajime were set free. PMB’s failure to act & prosecute is grave injustice. But it is not injustice against your religion or tribe. It is injustice against humanity. It is for political gain.
Posers on the killers of President Habyarimana remains unsolved;
1. Was it the work of Tutsi rebels bent on taking over power?
2. Was it the work of Hutu extremists under a pretext to annihilate the Tutsi minority?
3. Was it the work of a 5th Columnist bent on setting brothers at war for an unknown interest?
The outcome of these posers is not as important as the role of ordinary Rwandans from 1916 - 1994. The resentments, hatred, bigotry, intolerance, bias and narrow-mindedness along their tiny differences.
Similar resentments & bigotry besets Nigeria from 1960 to date.
At the end of the Rwandan carnage, the only point proven is that folly lies in the heart of the unwise.
Do we need a Rwanda to remind us of the evils of bigotry?
Rwanda survived in pieces. We may not be that lucky.
Writer:In the cold night of April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana was shot down. He was Hutu. The following day, annihilation of the Tutsis began. For 100 days, Tutsis were killed like cockroaches.
By the time Paul Kagame's led RPF took control, about a million Rwandans have been butchered. This constituted about 70% Tutsi population & 20% Rwandan population. It was genocide in the real sense of genocide.
But you see, the seed was sown as far back as 1959. The Hutu revolt of 1959 against colonial rule did not go down well with the Tutsis.
Before then, in 1916, Belgian colonists produced identity cards classifying Rwandans according to their ethnicity. The Tutsis welcomed the idea. For decades it was their ticket for juicy jobs, educational & political opportunities ahead of the Hutus. This turned out to be their greatest undoing in the winter of 1994.
What exactly powered Rwanda's genocide. Religion? Ethnicity? Political? Injustice? Or the innate desire to dominate ?
Hutus & Tutsis have many things in common - they speak same language ( Bantu ), same traditions, they inhabited same areas & about 90% are Christians, yet one sought to annihilate the other.
If you probe deeper, you'll realise that your beliefs, customs, & traditions are not as powerful as the quest for political power. Who cares about your religion & tribe when power is at stake.
Your religion & tribe can only be deployed as a means to an end. A mere tool for political power.
In 1987, IBB refused to prosecute Rev Bako & other participants after inciting the first major religious crisis in Southern Kaduna that led to the slaughter of Muslims, Fulanis & destruction of many Mosques. IBB’s failure to prosecute was grave injustice. But it was not injustice against your religion or tribe. It was injustice against humanity. It was for political gain.
From 2011 - 2015, GEJ treated Boko Haram crisis with kid gloves. Many Churches were attacked, Christians were massacred, clergy men were slaughtered. Jonathan’s failure to act was grave injustice. But it was not injustice against your religion or tribe. It was injustice against humanity. It was for political gain.
Recently Herdsmen are on rampage across the country causing havoc under the watchful eyes of PMB without arrests. Under the same President, killers of Mrs.Bridget Agbajime were set free. PMB’s failure to act & prosecute is grave injustice. But it is not injustice against your religion or tribe. It is injustice against humanity. It is for political gain.
Posers on the killers of President Habyarimana remains unsolved;
1. Was it the work of Tutsi rebels bent on taking over power?
2. Was it the work of Hutu extremists under a pretext to annihilate the Tutsi minority?
3. Was it the work of a 5th Columnist bent on setting brothers at war for an unknown interest?
The outcome of these posers is not as important as the role of ordinary Rwandans from 1916 - 1994. The resentments, hatred, bigotry, intolerance, bias and narrow-mindedness along their tiny differences.
Similar resentments & bigotry besets Nigeria from 1960 to date.
At the end of the Rwandan carnage, the only point proven is that folly lies in the heart of the unwise.
Do we need a Rwanda to remind us of the evils of bigotry?
Rwanda survived in pieces. We may not be that lucky.
Writer credits: Joel Akagwu
Economist.
Relationship Manager at First Bank PLC.
A lot of things catch my attention, but not so many as gripping as this. Here is a poem, written specially for the special lady in a young man's life on her birthday.
