The Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was a horrific 1994 mass killing of the Tutsi ethnic minority by Hutu extremists, resulting in an estimated 800,000 deaths in just about 100 days.
Unfolding with horrifying speed over roughly a hundred days while much of the international community failed to intervene, this genocide remains one of the most devastating and rapid mass killings of the modern era.
Ethnic Tensions Erupt
The genocide erupted following the assassination of Rwanda's president, unleashing long-simmering ethnic tensions between the Hutu majority and Tutsi minority populations.
An Extraordinarily Rapid Killing Campaign
Hutu extremist militias carried out mass killings of Tutsi civilians at an extraordinary pace, resulting in an estimated 800,000 deaths within approximately 100 days.
A Failure of International Intervention
The genocide unfolded despite the presence of a small United Nations peacekeeping force, whose limited mandate and international reluctance to intervene has been widely criticized in subsequent historical analysis.
A Lasting National Reckoning
Rwanda has since pursued extensive reconciliation efforts, including community-based justice processes, as the country continues grappling with the genocide's profound and lasting impact.
