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Rwanda

Uncomfortable Truths

independence in 1960. The reality of racism, dire poverty and economic exploitation was
masked by fond recollections of white Belgians who had worked in the Congo.

***
When independence arrived in 1960, hopes soared with the election of charismatic

Patrice Lumumba as Congo's first democratically elected leader. He was assassinated in
1961 by Congolese rebels and Belgian army officers on the orders of the CIA, with the

tacit support of Belgium. "
"Belgium Faces up to Postwar 'Apartheid' in Congolese Colony" 113
The Guardian. (December 2018)

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“ Allowing the existing Tutsi monarchs to exhibit control over the Hutus proved

immediately effective, allowing for colonization without a large force of European troops.
The Belgians further exploited the Tutsi-Hutu division, lending military and political
support to Tutsi leaders who maintained the policies of their colonial rulers. According to

the University of Pennsylvania's African Studies Center, Belgium instituted political and
economic reforms in the 1920s and 1930s in hopes of integrating native Rwandans into

the political process. However, these policies only served to consolidate power among
the Tutsi elite, who controlled much of the country's resources and intuitions.
***
(Referring to the 1994 Genocide)

Soldiers and militia often distinguished Tutsis by government-issued identification cards,
which stated their ethnicity. The process of formally identifying Hutus and Tutsis with

identification papers began under Belgian rule in the 1930s. "
"What Impact Did the Belgian Presence in Rwanda Have to Spark Further Conflict?" 114
Education - Seattle PI.

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More about Hutu
“ Hutus, also known as Bahutu and Wahutu, dominate the population, in number, in
Rwanda and Burundi among the Bantu-speaking people. They are considered to be the

original inhabitants of the area. The Hutu lifestyle was built around small-scale
agriculture. When it comes to social organization of Hutus, it was based on clans. They

had petty kings who were known as bahinza. These kings ruled over a limited area.
***
Hutus are shorter and stronger with broader features. They have low-pitched voices.
They also seem to have big noses.