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The US was reluctant to get involved in certain conflicts usually involving ethnic strife because of their failures in Somalia. The US troops were killed and dragged through the streets of the capital city of Mogadishu.

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General Romeo Dallaire, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Rwandan, made an urge request to be granted permission to raid the Hutu weapons caches. However, he was denied permission due to the dangers.

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World leaders condemned the violence in Rwanda, but did nothing to stop it. They did not want to be responsible for intervening under the Genocide Convention, in which they have to prevent and punish genocide.

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President Clinton apologized for his administration's part in disregarding the genocide.

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During the Belgian colonial control starting in 1916, the Belgians favored the Tutsis over the Hutus. The Tutsis were given educational privileges, and government jobs that the Hutus did not receive. The Belgians issued identity cards on the Rwanda citizens, which indicated if the citizens were Tutsi or Hutu. This colonial favoritism towards the Tutsis contributed greatly towards the Hutu and Tutsi conflict and increased tensions.

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Once Rwanda was granted independence in 1962 violence started to break out between Tutsis and Hutus. Hutus took charge of the new government in Rwanda, while the Tutsis fled to neighboring countries and created the RPF - the Rwanda Patriotic Front - whose goal was to overthrow the President Habyarimana and to secure their right and safety for their return to their homeland.  With the RPF, the Tutsis demanded a share of power over Rwanda.

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In April 1994 a plane that the Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana. The Hutus immediately blamed the Tutsis, and started their revenge. Some speculate that the Hutu extremists were the ones to shoot the plane down in order to start their genocide plan and increase hostility toward the Tutsis.

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Identity cards were issued to document ethnicity. They were later used in 1944 to identify the Tutsis by the Hutus.

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Broadcasts repeatedly labeled the Tutsis as "cockroaches" and "devils."

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Civilian death squads called Interhamwe formed and trained prior to the start of the genocide.

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Hutu extremists killed thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Anyone who weren't extremely against the Tutsis were killed.

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Hutu extremists encouraged all Hutus to kill the Tutus using machetes or clubs. Radios were used to instruct civilians on how to kill the Tutsis.

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Local and national elections have been held in which both Hutus and Tutsis fill the top government positions.

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The Rwandan government has struggled with putting thousands of lower ranking people on trial. By 2000, over 120,000 people were awaiting trial in prison on charges related to the genocide. In 2004, the government established the gacaca court system, which were traditional, community-based courts focused on truth and reconciliation and aim to bring justice and healing to the remaining victims and perpetrators.

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The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has tried more than fifty of the top organizers of the genocide, including high ranking conspirator Theoneste Bagosora. He was sentenced to life in prison.

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The Rwandan government insists that if ethnic differences can be learned, then 'ethnicity does not exist' can be taught as well. Ethnicity has been removed from school books and rubbed off of government identity cards. There are no more mentions of Hutus or Tutsis.

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Like any other country with a traumatic story, Rwanda has to deal with the daunting task of coming to terms with this incident. A genocide can only be processed slowly, but small steps are being taken to recognize and come to terms with the events of 1994. Museums and memorials have been constructed at genocide sites throughout Rwanda!

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When the Hutu fighters who fled to Congo return to Rwanda, they are sent to re-education camps. Here, they are taught that ethnicity does not exist and some basic carpentry skills.

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Gacaca Court System - Ordinary People Put on Trial

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Gacaca Court System - Ordinary People Put on Trial

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The Gacaca Court System tried more than 1 million ordinary people. Defendants were often given shorter sentences for confessing and were encouraged to apologize to victims' families. The Gacaca judges had the power to declare life imprisonment.