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45-910: The Interahamwe were driven out of Rwanda after Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) victory in the Rwandan Civil War in July 1994, and are considered a terrorist organisation by many African and Western governments. The Interahamwe and splinter groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) continue to wage an insurgency against Rwanda from neighboring countries, where they are also involved in local conflicts and terrorism. The name Interahamwe can be translated as "those who work together" or loosely as "those who fight together" in Kinyarwanda . Work

90-511: A campaign of genocide was conducted against the Hutu population in 1972, and an estimated 100,000 Hutus died. In 1993, Burundi's first democratically elected president, Melchior Ndadaye , who was Hutu, was believed to be assassinated by Tutsi officers, as was the person constitutionally entitled to succeed him. This sparked a counter-genocide in Burundi between Hutu political structures and

135-583: A civil war against Rwanda's Hutu government in 1990. A peace agreement was signed, but violence erupted again, culminating in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, when Hutu extremists killed an estimated 800,000 Rwandans, mostly Tutsis. About 30% of the Twa pygmy population of Rwanda were also killed by the Hutu extremists. At the same time, the Rwandan Patriotic Front took control of the country and

180-1175: A group of 14 tourists in Bwindi National Park , Uganda. Eight of the tourists were killed. The story was featured on National Geographic, Locked Up Abroad: Uganda . Leaders of the Interahamwe have been primarily prosecuted through the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha , Tanzania . The tribunal has convicted at least 41 persons, often with life sentences, including former interim Prime Minister Jean Kambanda and Georges Rutaganda . Fugitives have been captured and prosecuted in other countries, including Jean-Marie Vianney Mudahinyuka (a.k.a. "Zuzu"), an Interahamwe leader found hiding in Chicago , Illinois in January 2011. Rwandan Patriotic Front The Rwandan Patriotic Front ( RPF–Inkotanyi ; French : Front patriotique rwandais , FPR )

225-717: A large number of NRA officers because they had joined the rebellion early and thus had accumulated more experience. The contributions of the Rwandans in the Ugandan Bush War were immediately recognized by the new government. Six months after taking power, Museveni reversed the decades-old legal regime and declared that Rwandans who had resided in Uganda would be entitled to citizenship after 10 years. In December 1987, RANU held its seventh congress in Kampala and renamed itself

270-601: A legal limbo along the border region for years, and many refugee youths left to join the National Resistance Army . After the Museveni government was formed in 1986, Fred Rwigema , a Rwandan refugee commander, was appointed Uganda's deputy minister of defense and deputy army commander-in-chief, second only to Museveni in the military chain of command for Uganda. Paul Kagame was appointed acting chief of military intelligence. Rwandan refugees formed

315-428: A shorter underclass, but with little relation to the gene pools that had existed a few centuries ago. The social categories are thus real, but there is little if any detectable genetic differentiation between Hutu and Tutsi. Tishkoff et al. (2009) found their mixed Hutu and Tutsi samples from Rwanda to be predominately of Bantu origin, with minor gene flow from Afro-Asiatic communities (17.7% Afro-Asiatic genes found in

360-401: A small portion of Hutu speak French , the other official language of Rwanda and Burundi, as a lingua franca , although the population is dwindling given the poor relations between Rwanda and France. The Belgian-sponsored Tutsi monarchy survived until 1959 when Kigeli V was exiled from the colony (then called Ruanda-Urundi ). In Burundi, Tutsis, who are the minority, maintained control of

405-404: A spectrum of physical variation in the peoples, Belgian authorities legally mandated ethnic affiliation in the 1920s, based on economic criteria. Formal and discrete social divisions were consequently imposed upon ambiguous biological distinctions. To some extent, the permeability of these categories in the intervening decades helped to reify the biological distinctions, generating a taller elite and

450-554: A wide-ranging prohibition on what the government calls " genocide ideology ", including discussion of ethnic differences. Despite an official nonsectarian identity, as of 2021, a large majority of officials in the RPF-led government are Tutsi. Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, with over 14 million people living in a comparatively small territory of 26,338 square kilometers. Unlike other African countries,

495-660: Is pronounced [inhêːɾɑhɑ́mwe] in Kinyarwanda. However, when speaking English, Rwandans will sometimes pronounce it in the English manner. The difference can be observed by listening to Paul Rusesabagina in the Return to Rwanda feature of a Hotel Rwanda DVD, and to the translator for a survivor of the Nyarubuye massacre in "Frontline" Ghosts of Rwanda . Robert Kajuga , a half Tutsi (unusual for this group),

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540-644: Is the ruling political party in Rwanda . The RPF was founded in December 1987 by Rwandan Tutsi in exile in Uganda because of the ethnic violence that had occurred during the Rwandan Hutu Revolution in 1959–1962. In 1990, the RPF started the Rwandan Civil War in an attempt to overthrow the government, which was dominated by Hutu . Later on, the Rwandan genocide occurred that ended on 4 July with

585-414: Is thought that either Hutu extremists or the RPF carried it out. The shooting down of the plane served as the catalyst for the Rwandan genocide which began within a few hours. Over approximately 100 days, more than one million Tutsi people, were killed and an estimated 150,000 to 250,000 women were raped. The RPF with its wing army fought the government and took control of the country. The Rwandan genocide

630-821: The Abahutu , are a Bantu ethnic group which is native to the African Great Lakes region. They mainly live in Rwanda , Burundi , and Uganda where they form one of the principal ethnic groups alongside the Tutsi and the Great Lakes Twa . The Hutu is the largest of the three main population divisions in Burundi and Rwanda . Prior to 2017, the CIA World Factbook stated that 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians are Hutu, with Tutsis being

675-486: The Rwandan Patriotic Front ( RPF ) stands for Unity, Sovereignty and Security, Economy, Democratic Leadership, Fighting Corruption, Eliminating All Causes of Refugee Status, International Relations, Social Welfare, and Fighting Genocide and Its Ideology; the new RPF, dominated by Rwandan intellectuals who were in exile from different countries and military officers, was far more strong and ambitious than

720-491: The Rwandan government has invented and practiced unique national programs in ensuring self-reliance including Community work ( Umuganda ) and Gacaca courts . Paul Kagame is the current Chairman of the RPF after being re-elected with other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) during the 16th party's national congress that met on 2 April 2023. The elected committee is responsible for

765-626: The Ugandan Bush War . Following the overthrow of Idi Amin in 1979, Obote denounced Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) as composed of Banyarwanda. Subsequently, a failed attempt to force all Rwandan refugees into refugee camps in February 1982 resulted in a massive purge, driving 40,000 refugees back into Rwanda. Rwanda declared that they recognized only 4,000 of these as Rwandan nationals, while Uganda declared that they would take back only 1,000. The remaining 35,000 were left in

810-685: The Democratic Republic of the Congo), along with many members of the Interahamwe, Presidential Guard and the Rwandan Government Forces (RGF). Following the recruitment of significant numbers of Congolese Hutu the organisation took the name Armée de Libération du Rwanda (ALiR). With the Kagame regime still in power, members still take part in border raids from the refugee camps. In 1999, Interahamwe attacked and kidnapped

855-591: The Great Lake region from Central Africa in the great Bantu expansion . Various theories have emerged to explain the purported physical differences between them and their fellow Bantu -speaking neighbors, the Tutsi. The Tutsi were pastoralists and are believed to have established aristocratic control over the sedentary Hutu and Twa. Through intermarriage with the Hutu, the Tutsi were gradually assimilated, culturally, linguistically, and racially. Others suggest that

900-624: The Hutu have considerably fewer Nilo-Saharan paternal lineages (4.3% B) than the Tutsi (14.9% B). In general, the Hutu appear to share a close genetic kinship with neighboring Bantu populations, particularly the Tutsi. However, it is unclear whether this similarity is primarily due to extensive genetic exchanges between these communities through intermarriage or whether it ultimately stems from common origins: [...] generations of gene flow obliterated whatever clear-cut physical distinctions may have once existed between these two Bantu peoples – renowned to be height, body build, and facial features. With

945-541: The Interahamwe fled to neighbouring countries, most notably to what at the time was Zaire , now Democratic Republic of Congo , and Tanzania . Sudan welcomed former Interahamwe to Juba , and in March 1998, Colonel Tharcisse Renzaho , the former prefect of Kigali, and Colonel Aloys Ntiwiragabo , the former Rwandan Presidential Guard commander, arrived in Juba from Nairobi to organize them. It has been nearly impossible to bring

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990-457: The Interahamwe to justice because they did not wear uniforms or have a clearly organized group of followers. They were the neighbours, friends and co-workers of Tutsis. Throughout the war, members of the Interahamwe moved into camps of refugees and the internally displaced. There the victims were mixed in with the enemy making it difficult to prosecute members of the Interahamwe. But the Gacaca court

1035-428: The RPF conquest of the entire country. The RPF have ruled the country since then as a one-party state , and its current leader, Paul Kagame , became the president of Rwanda in 2000, and remains in office. Since 1994, RPF rule has been characterized by political repression, relative stability, and economic growth. Among other policies implemented by the government are the non-recognition of ethnic identities and

1080-594: The Rwandan government led to the signing of the Arusha Accords in 1993, resulting in RPF personnel and other refugees being allowed to return to the country. On 6 April 1994, President Juvénal Habyarimana 's plane was shot down near Kigali International Airport , killing him and Cyprien Ntaryamira , the President of Burundi . Responsibility for the assassination has not been conclusively established; it

1125-588: The Tutsi military, in which an estimated 500,000 Burundians died. There were many mass killings of Tutsis and moderate Hutus; these events were deemed to be a genocide by the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry for Burundi. While Tutsis remained in control of Burundi, the conflict resulted in genocide in Rwanda as well. A Tutsi rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front , invaded Rwanda from Uganda, which started

1170-475: The current state of Rwanda was partly based on the pre-colonial Kingdom of Rwanda , governed by a Tutsi monarchy. When the European colonialists arrived in Rwanda (Germans from 1899–1916 and Belgians from 1916–1962), the country lost all political, economic, and cultural independence. The colonial rulers chose Rwanda's leaders and set laws in a way that suited their interests. The colonial rulers employed

1215-723: The day-to-day management of the party activities and will serve a five-year term. In July 2024, Rwanda held elections, confirming Paul Kagame 's victory with 99.18% of the votes on July 15. This result reflects the trust many Rwandan citizens still have in him, especially since he played a crucial role in stopping the Rwanda Genocide in 1994. However, the ruling party saw its representation in parliament decrease, securing 37 of 53 directly elected seats, down from 40. Only two candidates were allowed to run against Paul Kagame , while others were barred from participating. The Rwandan Electoral Commission stated that these candidates lacked

1260-615: The divide-and-conquer strategy, spreading the idea that Rwandans : This strategy increased divisions between Tutsi, Hutu , and Batwa . In the early 1950s, Rwandans fought for their independence alongside other African countries. Since Tutsis made up the majority of those who fought for Rwanda's independence, the Belgians started to propagate the idea that Tutsis were outsiders who had originated in Abyssinia or modern-day Ethiopia . The Rwandese Alliance for National Unity ( RANU )

1305-651: The ethnic origins of the Hutu and Tutsi within Rwandan politics predates the Rwandan genocide , and it continues to the present day, with the government of Rwanda no longer using the distinction. Modern-day genetic studies of the Y-chromosome suggest that the Hutu, like the Tutsi, are largely of Bantu extraction (83% E1b1a , 8% E2 ). Paternal genetic influences associated with the Horn of Africa and North Africa are few (3% E1b1b and 1% R1b ), and are ascribed to much earlier inhabitants who were assimilated. However,

1350-722: The government and military. In Rwanda, the political power was transferred from the minority Tutsi to the majority Hutu. In Rwanda, this led to the "Social revolution" and Hutu and Tutsis conflicts. Tens of thousands of Tutsis were killed, and many others fled to neighboring countries, such as Burundi, Uganda , and forming the Banyamulenge Tutsi ethnic group in the South Kivu region of the Belgian Congo . Later, exiled Tutsis from Burundi invaded Rwanda, prompting Rwanda to close its border to Burundi. In Burundi ,

1395-517: The mixed Hutu–Tutsi population). Hutus speak Rwanda-Rundi as their native tongue, which is a member of the Bantu subgroup of the Niger–Congo language family. Rwanda-Rundi is subdivided into the Kinyarwanda and Kirundi dialects, which have been standardized as official languages of Rwanda and Burundi, respectively. It is also spoken as a mother tongue by the Tutsi and Twa. Additionally,

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1440-513: The necessary documents to run in the 2024 election. The Democratic Green Party retained two seats, with the remainder going to the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). According to the RPF, it still holds the belief that there should be a fundamental shift. It firmly felt that rapprochement among Rwandans was a prerequisite for socioeconomic growth, the establishment of national peace, and the restoration of dignity to every Rwandan. Hutu The Hutu ( / ˈ h uː t uː / ), also known as

1485-556: The original RANU. On 1 October 1990, the Rwandan government led by Juvénal Habyarimana with the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND) party which was known to rule with pro-Hutu policies, was invaded by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), the wing army force of RPF led by Major-General Fred Gisa Rwigema , the starting of the Rwandan Civil War . The RPA incursion

1530-437: The second largest ethnic group at 15% and 14% of residents of Rwanda and Burundi, respectively. However, these figures were omitted in 2017 and no new figures have been published since then. The Twa pygmies , the smallest of the two countries' principal populations, share language and culture with the Hutu and Tutsi. They are distinguished by a considerably shorter stature. The Hutu are believed to have first emigrated to

1575-542: The two groups are related but not identical, and they also suggest that the differences between them were exacerbated by Europeans, or they were exacerbated by a gradual, natural split, as those who owned cattle became known as the Tutsi and those who did not own cattle became known as the Hutu. Mahmood Mamdani states that the Belgian colonial power designated people as Tutsi or Hutu on the basis of cattle ownership, physical measurements and church records. The debate over

1620-463: The vote in the 2003 parliamentary elections , winning 40 of the 53 elected seats in the Chamber of Deputies . The coalition won 42 seats in the 2008 parliamentary elections , and Kagame was re-elected as president in 2010 with 93% of the vote. The 2013 parliamentary elections saw the RPF-led coalition win 41 seats. In 2017, Kagame was re-elected for a third term with 98.8 percent of the vote. He

1665-443: Was arrested in 2002. Sentenced to 15 years in prison, he was released with a pardon from President Kagame in 2007. In February 1998 Kagame was elected president of the RPF, replacing Alexis Kanyarengwe , and in March 2000 he became the national president. Following a constitutional referendum in 2003, Kagame was elected president with 95% of the vote. The RPF formed a coalition with several smaller parties, which received 74% of

1710-426: Was completely stopped when Kigali was captured by the RPF wing army on 4 July. After the RPF stopped the genocide and took control of the country, in 1994, it formed a government of national unity headed by a president, Pasteur Bizimungu . Paul Kagame became Minister of Defense and Vice-President. President Bizimungu served for six years and resigned from government in 2000, after forming his political party, he

1755-462: Was created in December 1979 in Nairobi , Kenya, by young Rwandan Tutsi refugee intellectuals, most of whom had grown up in Uganda. The RANU political organization was established to discuss a possible return to Rwanda. Though primarily a forum for intellectual discussion, it became militant after Milton Obote 's election in 1980 , resulting in many Tutsi refugees joining Yoweri Museveni in fighting

1800-569: Was initially successful, despite the death of Fred Rwigema from a bullet on 2 October. Paul Kagame , who had been doing military studies in the United States, returned to take over the RPA. Thereafter the RPA resorted to guerrilla attacks , focusing on the Byumba and Ruhengeri areas, and gained control of much of the north of the country in 1992. Eventually, negotiations between the RPF and

1845-424: Was put in place to at least attempt to get the killers in jail. It has seen criticism from many different sources for being flawed with the judges having inadequate training and many different parties in the court system being corrupt. This problem has led to many innocent people being put in jail and has caused the prisons to become overcrowded. During the war, millions of Rwandan Hutu refugees fled to Zaire (now

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1890-452: Was sworn in for another seven-year term on 18 August 2017. In the post-genocide era, RPF as a ruling party established Rwanda's national unity and democratic government that continues to challenge itself foremost as a right movement to strive for national unity, democracy, and development. To achieve these since 2000, RPF chairman and president of Rwanda Kagame, has been elected three times to rule Rwanda consecutively. Under his leadership,

1935-562: Was the president of the Interahamwe. The vice president of Interahamwe was Georges Rutaganda . The Interahamwe was formed from groups of young people of the MRND party. They carried out the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. The radio station RTLM , founded by Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and his wife, was popular amongst the Interahamwe for its decidedly pro-Hutu agenda, among other things. From October 1993 to late 1994, it

1980-609: Was used as an outlet for extremists to release ethnocentric and xenophobic propaganda targeted at the Tutsis, moderate Hutus and Belgians . Often it encouraged the ongoing acts of genocide by promoting fear among the Hutus that the Tutsis would massacre them, and broadcasting the positions of Tutsis hiding or attempting to flee. Following the invasion of the Rwandan capital Kigali by the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), many Rwandan civilians and members of

2025-404: Was used as slang in racist radio broadcasts during the genocide—"working" meant using machetes to kill. The name Interahamwe can be broken up as follows: intera is derived from the verb gutera , meaning "to work"; hamwe means "together" and is related to the word rimwe for "one". English speakers usually pronounce it as / ˌ ɪ n t ər ə ˈ h ɑː m w eɪ / , though it

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