Personal Reflection on Findings:
In Reflecting on the Implications of colonial Rule in
Rwanda, specifically in the case of Rwanda, I cannot help but identify many
historical instances which brought about the conditions in 1994 which were
conducive to genocide. This is not to say that personal responsibility is waved
in the context of Rwanda in 1994; but still, I think that a very clear and compelling
argument could be made—asserting that had Rwanda not had Belgium rule, there
would likely not have been an 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
Understanding that the Rwandan violence of 1994 is not an isolate plight, brings profound questioning into the culpability of the developed world as it related directly to the modern day suffering of Africa. The readiness through which colonialism in Africa completely disregarded people for the immediate gains of the motherland is ever so clear in the context of Rwanda and the precursors of the Genocide. The distinction that resulted in the death of 800,000 people in 100 days, of Tutsi and Hutu has been deemed by anthropologists as hugely arbitrary and something that was resurrected by the Belgians to employ a divide and conquer method of controlling the colony. The steadfastness thought that the people of Rwanda came to derive their identity as Hutu or Tutsi, through this arbitrary distinction speaks to the importance of never living an unexamined life of blind adherence. In the case of Rwanda’s in 1994, people were killed from the premise that they existed as categorically other. Mapping the sociological state of colonial Rwanda leaves me wondering about the many thousands of other instances of suffering have been likely a consequence of colonial meddling and how still this type of International bullying perpetuates into the 21tst century under a more economic guise. |
Sources:
Akpome, Aghogho. “The Narrative
Construction of Identity in Contemporary Rwanda: A Study of An Ordinary Man by
Paul Rusesabagina (with Tom Zoellner).” African Studies 73, no. 2
(August 2014): 192–210. doi:10.1080/00020184.2014.921367.
Buscaglia, Ilaria, and Shirley Randell. “Legacy of Colonialism in the Empowerment of Women in Rwanda.” Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal 4, no. 1 (January 2012): 69–85.
Carney, James Jay. “Beyond Tribalism: The Hutu-Tutsi Question and Catholic Rhetoric in Colonial Rwanda.” Journal of Religion in Africa 42, no. 2 (January 1, 2012): 172–202.
Carney, J. J. “‘Far from Having Unity, We Are Tending towards Total Disunity’: The Catholic Major Seminary in Rwanda, 1950-62.” Studies in World Christianity 18, no. 1 (April 2012): 82–102. doi:10.3366/swc.2012.0007.
Cowell, Alan. “Colonialism, Bloodshed and Blame for Rwanda.” The New York Times, April 10, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/colonialism-bloodshed-and-blame-for-rwanda.html.
———. “Colonialism, Bloodshed and Blame for Rwanda.” The New York Times, April 10, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/colonialism-bloodshed-and-blame-for-rwanda.html.
De Waal, Alexander. “Rwanda’s Blood-Guilt.” One World, no. 199 (October 1, 1994): 4–6.
“How Colonialism Affected the Rwandan Genocide.” Umuvugizi. Accessed January 18, 2015. https://umuvugizi.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/how-colonialism-affected-the-rwandan-genocide/.
Koopman, Jeanne. “When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda (Book).” International Journal of African Historical Studies 35, no. 2/3 (June 2002): 462.
Newbury, Catharine. “Ethnicity and the Politics of History in Rwanda.” Africa Today 45, no. 1 (January 1998): 7.
Philpot, John. “Colonialism and Injustice.” Canadian Dimension 31, no. 2 (April 3, 1997): 8.
Rj. “The Politics of Racism | The Rwandan Genocide.” Accessed January 12, 2015. http://therwandangenocide.blogspot.com/2011/06/politics-of-racism.html.
———. “The Politics of Racism | The Rwandan Genocide.” Accessed January 12, 2015. http://therwandangenocide.blogspot.com/2011/06/politics-of-racism.html.
“Rwanda.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, January 23, 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rwanda&oldid=643559223.
“Rwandan Genocide.” The Espresso Stalinist. Accessed January 12, 2015. http://espressostalinist.com/genocide/rwandan-genocide/.
“Rwanda: The Preventable Genocide.” Text. ReliefWeb, July 7, 2000. http://reliefweb.int/report/rwanda/rwanda-preventable-genocide.
Buscaglia, Ilaria, and Shirley Randell. “Legacy of Colonialism in the Empowerment of Women in Rwanda.” Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal 4, no. 1 (January 2012): 69–85.
Carney, James Jay. “Beyond Tribalism: The Hutu-Tutsi Question and Catholic Rhetoric in Colonial Rwanda.” Journal of Religion in Africa 42, no. 2 (January 1, 2012): 172–202.
Carney, J. J. “‘Far from Having Unity, We Are Tending towards Total Disunity’: The Catholic Major Seminary in Rwanda, 1950-62.” Studies in World Christianity 18, no. 1 (April 2012): 82–102. doi:10.3366/swc.2012.0007.
Cowell, Alan. “Colonialism, Bloodshed and Blame for Rwanda.” The New York Times, April 10, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/colonialism-bloodshed-and-blame-for-rwanda.html.
———. “Colonialism, Bloodshed and Blame for Rwanda.” The New York Times, April 10, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/colonialism-bloodshed-and-blame-for-rwanda.html.
De Waal, Alexander. “Rwanda’s Blood-Guilt.” One World, no. 199 (October 1, 1994): 4–6.
“How Colonialism Affected the Rwandan Genocide.” Umuvugizi. Accessed January 18, 2015. https://umuvugizi.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/how-colonialism-affected-the-rwandan-genocide/.
Koopman, Jeanne. “When Victims Become Killers: Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda (Book).” International Journal of African Historical Studies 35, no. 2/3 (June 2002): 462.
Newbury, Catharine. “Ethnicity and the Politics of History in Rwanda.” Africa Today 45, no. 1 (January 1998): 7.
Philpot, John. “Colonialism and Injustice.” Canadian Dimension 31, no. 2 (April 3, 1997): 8.
Rj. “The Politics of Racism | The Rwandan Genocide.” Accessed January 12, 2015. http://therwandangenocide.blogspot.com/2011/06/politics-of-racism.html.
———. “The Politics of Racism | The Rwandan Genocide.” Accessed January 12, 2015. http://therwandangenocide.blogspot.com/2011/06/politics-of-racism.html.
“Rwanda.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, January 23, 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rwanda&oldid=643559223.
“Rwandan Genocide.” The Espresso Stalinist. Accessed January 12, 2015. http://espressostalinist.com/genocide/rwandan-genocide/.
“Rwanda: The Preventable Genocide.” Text. ReliefWeb, July 7, 2000. http://reliefweb.int/report/rwanda/rwanda-preventable-genocide.