Tutsi

Origin of the conflict between Hutu and Tutsi

It is believed that the Tutsi migrated to Rwanda from the direction of Ethiopia. The Belgians, who took over colonial rule in Rwanda after the Germans, classified the Tutsi based on the width of their noses and recorded this as a racial characteristic in their passports.

The Belgians favored the Tutsi over all others, giving them better positions and important tasks. This led to hatred and envy among the other ethnic groups, especially the Hutu. Repeated attacks by the Hutu were a consequence of this. Many Tutsi fled the violence and emigrated to neighboring countries. The ethnic distinction between Hutu and Tutsi itself also dates back to the colonial powers and was based on an arbitrary division of people into ethnic groups according to a census.

Genocide in Rwanda

The unrest and fighting have still not come to an end. Clashes between Tutsi and Hutu continue to occur. The most notorious example of this is undoubtedly the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The death toll from this massacre is estimated at around one million. People are still dying every day, and many innocent bystanders are being seriously injured. Peace conferences have unfortunately so far yielded no significant results.