What caused the Rwandan Genocide? - Susanne Buckley-Zistel 

To clarify, the 800,000 casualties mentioned at minute 3:19 in this video were specifically Tutsi.

It is also important to note that the Rwandan government has made it a policy to refer to all citizens as Rwandans rather than by their ethnic group as part of a broader effort to reduce ethnic tensions and prevent the recurrence of violence.

My parents survived the 1994 Tutsi genocide and I can hardly affirm the wounds have fully healed almost 30 years after. We’ve lost so many fam members and dears friends during the genocide!! The aftermath is often under estimated and almost as tragic as the the event in itself. Just a reminder of how much racial segregation and ethnic discrimination can lead up to catastrophic and tragic endings. #NEVER AGAIN😞😣

I lived in Rwanda for a while. I listened to so many testimony when I was there and it was HORRIFIC. Being Burundian (an neighbor country of rwanda) with a tied history I hope that neither Rwanda or Burundi will ever go through such times of violence and mass murder. Tutsi, Hutu or Twa doesn't mean anything we are just Rwandese and Burundians.

Minor correction: 800,000 Tutsis were killed. About 300,000 Hutus and Twa were killed due to being considered Tutsi sympathizers. Edit: This might not be correct either. It is only one of several estimates.

For those who are interested, there's a french novel (which had been translated in other languages since) called "Small Country" (Petit Pays) written by Gaël Faye and it tells the story of ten-years old Gaby who lives in Burundi during the Rwanda genocide with his family and witness the horror of the war coming to its country. It's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

This brings back memories. When I was in high school, we watched Hotel Rwanda (2004) a few times in class to learn about this tragic genocide.

Going to the Genocide Museum in Rwanda is still one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. Please read the accounts from survivors. Kwibuka.

I think you did the right thing to turn down the real harshness of this genocide. I have read many books about Rwandan genocide and it's felt like a terrible nightmare to me.

Its amazing how much Rwanda has progressed since those horrible times.

Just returned from Rwanda. I couldn't, for the life of me fathom these human horrors. I sped out of the memorial centre halfway through the tour. Simply incomprehensible considering what happened to kids.

I like how the animation style is so simple, but can also look bloody whenever scenes of massacre are shown.

Thank you for covering a horrific topic that many outside Africa don't know about and the animation was so captivating the animators must be given more credit Also Africa as a whole has learn from Rwanda about leaving behind prejudice and hatred toward each other

Some of the Tutsis survived by hiding in a hotel, run by Paul Rusesabagina. The film, Hotel Rwanda, depicted this starring Don Cheadle

The first time I’ve known about the Rwandan Genocide was in an HBO movie called “Sometimes in April”. I was shocked and horrified that something like this happened and that nobody from the outside world ever tried to stop it. Even to this day, I still wish we could’ve done something. 😢

Humans are capable of acts of mass insanity, let that not be forgotten.

It is also important to connect the events in Rwanda to what was happening in Congo for years prior. And afterwards. The conflict continues in Congo.

It is tragic when a society has become so violent, that the only way forward is some form of reconciliation, rather than conventional judicial justice. But as uncomfortable as it is, I think the story of Rwanda is such an important thought-provoking history lesson and has the potential to make us all a little bit wiser. Thank you for featuring this important chapter of history here! As a German, I consider it also an important part of the past of my own country. I am happy that we are at a point where we can discuss history openly and based on facts, rather than being trapped in a heroic view of our past. But I feel ashamed that we have done so little to mend the wounds we caused with our colonialism. Looking at our modern supply chains makes it even more clear: we have to come together as a global society and find a way to build trust and protect everyones rights. Otherwise we find ourselves in new and repeated conflicts. And for Germany, this means being more responsible, accountable, and humble. I think that would be a small price to pay for what we would win: each other.

If you read the Book "Left to tell" By one of the survivors, you'll cry. They were slaughtered in the churches and bodies mounted all over the street (mass graves) neighbors killed neighbors, childhood friend killed childhood friends. It's was a crazy

The last sequence of the graveyard was really heart trenching... Yet another nice short documentary by Ted-ed. I always wanted to know what exactly happened in Rwanda all those years ago.

There is a Moroccan quote: "the one who knows fear will live", or "man yarif alkhaf yaish", a quote properly adapted to the entirety of Africa, which Morocco is part of. The meaning is "play it safe and careful within", but there is also another intepretation that is "if you want safe, make fear". The Rwandan genocide was born in fear, and the people perpetuated the genocide knew fears. So in order to live, they must make fear as weapon. In Africa today, people live because they still fear. But fear makes life unhappy and this resulted in more atrocities. It's only today that Rwanda has begun to leave behind fear to progress. But the rest of Africa remains a fearful continent, living within people's mind. If Africans can't abandon fear, more Rwanda moments will occur.

I've already seen videos on this topic but still watched this one due to the signature animations and smooth narration. Great work as always... Also very cool how graphic the video was at times and how you don't stray away from the caricature drawing style

I remember watching hotel Rwanda/shooting dogs and was shocked to see this was based of a true story and another consequence of colonialism

All my relatives and my father and mother are survivors of Rwanda genocide, im thankful that theyre here with me today however its been hard to learn about my Rwanda heritage, i still remeber the stories my mom told me of how she was attacked led by Hutu soldiers and i remeber how those stories would give me nightmares it also hindered my inabilty to learn the language and learn about the culture because i still think about the stories i was told whenever i get somewhat involved with my heritage, now im learning to overcome that fear and accept my culture thank you Ted-ed ❤ 🇷🇼

Now Rwanda 🇷🇼 is the hope of Africa 🌍 and the whole world ❤❤❤😢 Hallelujah 🙏💥💥🕊️🕊️🕊️

Rest in Peace beautiful souls💔🙏 Gone way too soon Prayers and best wishes to them, all of their families,friends and loved ones. There will be justice!!! Best wishes to all people of Rwanda ❤

What the United Nations did doing absolutely nothing when this happened is reeally GREAT!😃 This organization is the BEST!

What’s sad is that most of this history is forgotten even though being one of the most important event in the 90s, African history, and being the main reason for the first Congo war (African World War).

It’s so sad how this all played out. But what’s even worse is that many of the victims were small children

The fact the International community saw this conflict and mass murder and did nothing, sickens me. They even refused to acknowledge it, and even took away people who could massively help in resolving it. So much for a global organization meant to 'help' countries. At least they have improved now.

Don't know why they teach history. No one seems to be learning from it. History repeats itself.

Those trials must have been so messy, I can't imagine having to deal with those numbers

It's also worth noting that in 1994 Rwanda was a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council which made it more difficult for the UN to try and intervene when the Hutu government had such a powerful seat.

Noam Chomsky in Rwanda during the Genocide: Why are these good-natured Hutus hacking the air and why is the air bleeding?

Very important to share this, Thank you 🙏

The genocide had been a long-running project. Initiated in Rwanda in 1959, it was later extended to Burundi at various times. For example, recent research shows how genocidal militiamen started killing off the Tutsi population in 1972. To prepare for their attacks they had received training from the Tanzania regime in Kagunga Forest, at a site ordinarily used for training Mozambican rebels. They attacked simultaneously in several provinces (Rumonge, Bururi, Makamba, Cankuzo, Rutana, Bujumbura, Gitega), systematically killing all Tutsi people they could find. Occasionally they also killed Hutus who didn’t want to join them or whom they suspected might be Tutsi. Some passages: In Rumonge, the first victim was a teacher whose husband, also a teacher in Nkayamba, was named Simon. The militiamen mistook her for a Tutsi even though she was Hutu. Overnight they installed a roadblock very close to the courthouse while chanting slogans in the streets: “Mai Mulele!! Death to Micombero!! Long live Hutus!!” They killed a lot of people that night. According to news reports in the daily Flash-Infor, “all Tutsi civil servants in the province were killed: District commissioners, communal administrators, the prosecutor, assistant prosecutors, doctors, accountants, 40 people in all.” Among the victims were the district commissioner of Makamba, Isidore Zidona, the police chief in Rumonge, school principals, the prosecutor of Bururi, Jean Bikamba, and Thérence Rubati, a judge in Rumonge. Also murdered were doctors including Dr. Cyprien Simbiyara and other medical personnel and teachers. Other victims in Rumonge were the Bukemba commune administrator Etienne Njayobiri and the secretary of the Uprona party, Mr. Rungarunga. The militiamen also killed an Arab named Mohamed Amdan. They had allegedly asked him for gasoline to burn down homes and he refused. This resulted in his execution together with the wife and two children of the administrator Damas Nyambere. Then the rebels attacked the police headquarters and the courthouse. They killed everyone who had taken refuge there. At the extreme south of the shoreline, Nyanza-Lac was also attacked on the same day of April 29. Around 6:30 p.m., the rebels wielding machetes and wearing palm leaves on their heads came from Rwaba where they had spent their last sessions of the “magical immunization” ritual. Let us listen in this regard to the witness who was part of this movement: “It was Saturday April 29, 1972; we were around the Rwaba River. This is where I underwent the ritual of baptism by magic water. Around 6 p.m., we left this place to carry out attacks in the center of Nyanza-Lac. We started with three targets: The police station, the marketplace, and the residence of some French people. When we arrived where the BCB bank stands today, our chief ordered us to take three directions: "Chez Daniel" where some civil servants were gathered, the police station, and where the French telecommunication technicians lived.” A witness who escaped the scene remembers it: “We were walking along the road. We saw people lined up from Rwaba running at a jog. They were repeating a song that said “Mchaka Mchaka Kill”. I thought they were soldiers on a military maneuver. They wore palm leaves on their heads and carried new machetes. It looked like a ritual. As they got closer they were chanting, Long Live Hutus!! Death to Tutsis!! They took a man from the restaurant and beheaded him. After seeing this, I fled through the bush. Once at some distance, I saw police commander Misigaro and I asked myself why he was there. He left shortly afterwards.” [Donatien Misigaro was the Hutu police chief who had sponsored the militiamen. He had all Tutsi police officers who served under his orders disarmed and executed that day!] The militiamen then massacred all the Tutsi civil servants gathered at "Daniel’s", including the administrator of Vugizo Frédéric Niyonizigiye and the assistant district commissioner, Léonidas Basumbwa. However the first person killed was a Hutu named Kebumpa because he had refused to join the militiamen. Also targeted was a Hutu administrator from Nyanza-Lac, Thomas Sayumwe, reputed to be a “friend” of President Micombero. But he managed to escape death. The rebels went to look for him at home only to find out that he had already gone in hiding. Instead they killed his child who was still in bed. They also killed a Hutu agricultural engineer, called Dative. The police force included about 10 Tutsi officers. These were all executed at nightfall around 6:30 p.m. Their chief, Donatien Misigaro, had taken away their guns which he put in storage. Also killed was Commander Mbonihankuye who had travelled there to bring the monthly pay for the police station. Afterwards, the rebels took their weapons. On Sunday 30, the massacres continued in Rumonge and Nyanza-Lac. In Rumonge, the rebels took people to the marketplace to be executed. Some people hid in the bush and others were hidden by Hutus who did not join the [genocide] movement. A witness says that his [Hutu] father-in-law hid two Tutsi girls whose father was a police commander in Rumonge and who had been killed at the start. An old Hutu man named Manyuzi hid the two wives of a Tutsi man named Gapawa. Around Rumonge, the rebels massacred any Tutsi person they encountered. In Kigwena, because many young people from this locality were involved in the [genocide] movement, they seized a Peugeot truck from the friars at Kigwena Parish for transportation. The driver Epimaque moved the rebels on the Rumonge-Nyanza-Lac road under the supervision of Magenge. He was helped by Denis Mafungufungu with his own Peugeot while flying the green-red flag of the movement. Adolphe Nyandwi brought reinforcements from the rebels towards Bujumbura. But when they arrived at Kanyosha, they were forced to turn back. In Nyanza-Lac, the rebels killed Secretary Rukanka. He was a slender Hutu. He was a victim of his physique because in their understanding anyone that tall was Tutsi. They massacred indiscriminately Tutsi men, women and children as well as Hutus who looked like them. Let us listen to a witness who was a Mulelist [the genocide militia]: “We eliminated Tutsis: Tutsi men, women and children, as well as Hutus who resembled them in appearance or size”.

You have to do one now about Rwanda's incredible development of the last 20 years.

Forgive but never forget. Leaving the past behind is easier said than done.

I love how detailed this video is you made my childhood thank you you made school easy and fun

Genuinely shocked at the deleting of my comments by Ted-Ed as I was pointing out that the “Rwanda Genocide” term is typically used by genocide deniers. This is because it conveniently doesn’t acknowledge that the main victims of the Genocide were Tutsis, and although Twas and Hutus (especially Muslim Hutus, many refused to kill Tutsis) were also killed, it wasn’t for their ethnicity, but for their association with Tutsis. They deserve their flowers for their courage - but only Tutsis were murdered simply for being Tutsis. This is why Rwandans refer to the genocide as the “1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda”, and genociders typically refer to it as “Rwandan Genocide” or “Rwandan War”, as it diminishes their atrocities against the Tutsi and try to equate the RPF stopping the Genocide to their eradication efforts. It is highly likely that this wasn’t on purpose from Ted-Ed, but I am genuinely saddened to see that they keep deleting this particular comment. It is now the third time I post this point.

Very informative, this channel has been posting informative content, consistently, for over a decade. 👍👍

Nah, just realised how seeds of poison can be planted so easily in common unware people's minds(even if they initially have had good relationships) by those in power.

This would have ended very differently if not for the Blackhawk Down incident, which caused the US to be very apprehensible about deploying soldiers in Africa. Understandable, but even more so unfortunate.

I don't understand how anyone could mercilessly kill so many innocent people in such cruel and unusual ways. I understand the process intellectually and historically, but i can't put myself in the headspace of someone who's willing and wanting to commit such atrocities. I remember a story my uncle told my dad (who later told me) about his time in El Salvador during the time of the death squads. He said that, when the death squads had come to his village, the only way he survived was by playing dead in a pile of bodies. I just don't understand how you could do that to people, it doesn't make any sense

This is insightful in many ways. We learn a lot of meaningful lessons in these kinds of topics.

Hutus had been enslaving, starving, sacrificing & killing all the men of Tutsi & other tribes for centuries before any Europeans entered africa. This argument goes back around 500-850 years. Hopefully it will end soon & there will be peace for all.

Thanks for the contents! good as always!

I’ve never been this early to a TedEd before :)

I was actually born during apartheid. So was my husband. We have Hotel Rwanda. I was forced to watch it when I was 16 for confirmation class. My husband was forced to watch the opening of Saving Private Ryan

I first learned about this in book Walking the Nile with Levison Wood. It's also a life filmed documentary for Channel 4, I think.

Love videos like this very informative and visuals are stunning if you like stuff like this and want to watch good movies about the Rwandan Genocide some are Sometimes In April with Idris Elba and Hotel Rwandan starring the legend Don Cheadle.

The whole should know more about Rwandan Jenocide in order to learn more about this tragic and devastating history just because history is the reason that we live aside that determine our entire life and we should learn from it in order to cultivate our own in good manner . This history must leave a reason for the whole world residences to say never again Jenocide again.

This completely ignored the massive hand the French had in funding and arming the Rwandan government carrying out the genocide. Don't take my word for it. Look it up yourself. A startling truth.

If you ever needed proof of how utterly useless the UN is; Rwanda is a good example.

This just scratched the surface. The full story is horrific

This is a very simplyfing presentation of what happend in 1990-1994 and further in Rwanda, you should listen to the people in Rwanda, listen, listen ...

Very sad indeed. But it amazes me that when there is bloodshed in Africa its always blamed on the west & colonialism yet there is proof of inter tribal warfare and animosity way before settlers even arrived.

This is one of the saddest parts of history

When I was in middle school we had to pair up for a social studies assignment where we would give a presentation about a country and the selection process was drawing from a cup. We got Rwanda and the research was a wild ride 😅

Colonialism was terrible but it's not the answer to every question. Tribal violence was happening before European rule. A minority tribe ruled the majority tribe before the colonial period. The Europeans helped the minority tribe maintain their power. After the European's left the minority tribe could not maintain their dominance and that lead to this conflict.

This is why hate speech should not be protected under freedom of speech. Words are powerful, and have the power to indoctrinate, which can turn neighbors against each other

The one who did the documentary needs me and more information from me, I know everything about Genocide against Tutsi in 1994 . I was born and raised in Kigali-Rwanda, and I am still sharing my research. There is still a lot to edit in this documentary

Yaaas!!! Ted-ED is one of my favourite RU-vid channels. Keep going, with your amazing graphics, animations and information. You don’t know how many students and grandmas you’re helping.

The animator has done a good job

TED_Ed can you do a History on Trial of The Duke Of Wellington and Winston Churchill.

The ending shot with the graveyard was heartbreaking.

Rwandans and future of that country, that no one, not even your neighbors will give true assistance, they learn what it is to be neglected by other countries. Seeing must only depends on themselves.

In a few years Haiti will have similar story cause the horrific accounts coming from there are insane! Maybe not that scale but its pretty bad

This happened in the 90s. It was not that long ago

Please do something on the effects of boko haram on farming communities in Nigeria

@TED-Ed please please please, refer to the genocide as “The genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi” as that is the official title that the UN and the Rwandan government and its people use. Thank you 🙏🏾

1:04 I think the Belgians were actually right by accident here. You can find old records of Hutu becoming Tutsi after getting status and wealth and some families even held a ceremony when it happened to one of their own. So while the three groups might have been ethnic groups, it probably is closer to something between the Indian caste system (you're often born into it) and the Victorian British social class (in the sense that it was possible to get into the upper class just by getting rich). After all, if they were truly ethnic groups, it doesn't make sense for someone not born Tutsi to become Tutsi later in life. If I had to guess, in the 18th century and earlier people probably thought of a ruling class and commoners when they heard of Tutsi and Hutu rather than ethnic gorups.

I, as an Indian... Always felt sympathetic towards Africans... The entire continent was scorched and destroyed by European colonizers... I always pray for their prosperity.. Love to all Africans, from India❤

Sometimes I can't sleep and find myself looking for uplifting stories

Whoa, heavy start to the day.

I read somewhere that "History doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes" and I have never understood this until this video. The same genocide, different circumstances, different settings and the ignorance of many self-claimed international human rights bodies are happening AS I write THIS. Even though the Rwandan genocide was before our time and we couldn't do anything to help, we can prevent the same thing happening in Gaza from getting any worse. We can raise awareness, protest, make donations, and PRESSURE our leaders to do something. The pity and sadness we feel watching this video, we can make up for by being human towards Palestinians.

Can you do another video about the Bangladesh Genocide which was done by Pakistan and Pakistan was supported by the United States even after the US knew what was going on.

Whenever I hear about atrocities such as this, I always inquire about that country's natural resources (oil, gold, gemstones, etc).

Why are you showing the leaders weeping. They didn't weep...

I came to know about this when I saw the movie “ Hotel Rwanda”

I'm taken aback more by how easily a government can pit 2 friendly sides against each other, causing all this damage without suffering any casualties themselves. I know there's more to the instigation but seriously, imagine if America wanted to do that.

The way you’ve presented it, this is more so the legacy of tribalism and not colonialism

3:10 *Sarcastic-Surprise**

Ted ed the episode is excellent

Stroma is from Rwanda and his father was killed by this. This is why he made papa ou t'es.

Very cool stuff

Good Morning Maria.. Again... Thanks NYPD

This is same like they have done in india between preist groups and working groups

@Ted-Ed thank you for a making this video to shed light on on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, but I am afraid some of the facts here may not need some fact-checking and updating. at 0:41, you mentioned in the video that in precolonial Rwanda, the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa were ethnic groups. This is not correct, they were considered social classes not ethnic groups! They only became ethnic groups after the colonization. Ethnic groups have different language, culture, and history. This wasn't true for this time in history, because different cousins for example could be in either social class ( Hutu or Tutsi), but still spoke the same language, had the same culture, and were all under one king. Secondly, you mention that at 3:22 that 800 000 Rwandans were killed. It is important to make the distinction between Rwandans and exact numbers (or close to exact) of Tutsi and Hutu that were killed because the ambiguity can be seen as a form of genocide denial. Additionally, dwindling the death toll is also a subtle form of genocide denial. Official Rwandan government reports consider the death toll of the Tutsi to be close to 1 million. I would urge you to reach out to Rwandan officials in government or the Genocide Memorial in Kigali to fact check these numbers. I don't mean to discredit the animation, cause I think it is an honest attempt to telling the story, but getting the facts right is important to honoring this history especially in the wake of rampant denial of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The best way to know what happened to the Rwandans is to go to Rwanda and speak to the Rwandans themselves.

You have not done your homework. Tutsies and Hutus were at the beginning just social classes; the Tutsies being the rich ones (counted in number of cows), whereas the Hutus were the poor ones (mainly labour forces and farmers). But it was fluid. Hutus were paid in cows (the notion of money was introduced by the colonisation only). If they could let their herd flourish, they could become Tutsies. If a cow herd of Tutsi died because of natural disaster like diseases, then the owner would become a Hutu. The fixation of Hutu and Tutsi as "ethnical groups" was done by the Belgium administration using 19th century approaches by judging someone based on his/her phenotype (you are slim, tall, with small lips: you are a Tutsi!).

My high school was really set on this particular event and always taught it in the first 3 years of social studies. I remember watching a very sad movie of it in class once.

For your own information, It is completely wrong to say 800,000 Tutsis were killed, it is 1,000,074+ Tutsis who were killed in 1994. otherwise is considered genocide denial. The second thing is, 300,000 weren't killed for being Tutsi sympathizers as many have mentioned above, that's a way of genocide denial.

I do like this video however i believe the simple explanation "the UN peacekeepers were instructed to leave tutsis" as not only partially false but also a disservice to the UN troops that stayed despite the order. The UN forces was around 2,500 men under Canadian MGen. Romeo Dallaire and he refused to abandon people to die. He stayed with 495 men and officers (mostly from Senegal and Ghana). 20 peacekeepers were killed in the genocide and they kept 32,000 people safe from the murder. And the dismiss their efforts as they did nothing is insulting to a great man like Dallaire who suffers from PTSD from Rwanda and still keeps up with the memory of what happened so no one forgot what happened all the while he also works to keep children out of war as child soldiers

there was a man who killed his neighbor and when he asked why he did it he said, "because everyone else was doing it"

There was also twa which is pretty much a forgotten go up that suffered

“Cut the Tall Trees” as the genocide begun

Ah yes, the United Nations - see genocide when there is none, doesn't see genocide when there is

Yet people still blame the perpetrator of these genocides rather than holding accountable the people who escalated ethnic divisions. Allah sees all, and he will deliver justice on the day when all eyes will stare in horror

My mother was a missionary in Rwanda before the genocide. We were watching an old home movie showing her playing and teaching some young boys. They were also playing with a soccer ball on a Sunny day. Those two boys were murdered during the genocide. I could see the pain in my mother's eye when she was watching the film. I'm hoping one day we can live in a world where this never happens.

1 question: in that the neighbouring 'twin' country of 🇧🇮Burundi that had same colonial history & exactly the same demographic makeup (83% Hutu, 15% Tutsi & 1% Twa) - why did Burundi manage to successfully avoid any kind of civil wars or genocide that 🇷🇼Rwanda had to face with post-independence?