The Intolerable Acts Rwandan Genocide
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UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS Rwandan Genocide The BACKGROUND GUIDE Intolerable Acts BACKGROUND GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Dais .......................................................................... 3 Background ...................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Leading Up to The War ................................................................................................................................ 5 Rwandan Civil War ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Genecoide ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Case Study ......................................................................................... 9 Previous International Action ......................................................................................................................... 9 Aftermath of the Genocide ............................................................................................................................ 11 Possible Solutions .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Questions to Consider ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Bloc Positions ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. References ....................................................................................... 14 Letter from the Dais Dear Delegates, Welcome to SciMUNC 2020! We’re so excited to have you all here and hope this will be a great experience for every one of you. As you all know, this year our conference is online. Still, we are committed to making this the best Krish Shah SciMUNC conference to date and we hope you feel take a lot out of this. We are Secretary -General so excited to be your chairs for this conference and we know you will all do a Byul Sak great job in this specialized committee about the Rwandan Genocide. Directors-General Hello delegates. I’m Lucas Schwed and I’ll be chairing the UNHRC specialized committee this SCIMUNC. This will be my first time chairing an Omar Darwish USG of Administration event, but I have worked as members of a backroom in the past. Any questions Vincent Harwood you may have on any topic I would be happy to answer, my email address is Deputy-USG of Administration [email protected]. My interests mainly pertain to European history and international relations, but I’d love to hear about your passions. It’s a shame that Benjamin Raab SCIMUNC will have to be online this year but believe me when I say our team is USG of General Assemblies and Specialized Committees doing its very best to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone. Karen Phua Hi everyone! My name is Julia Gallent and I am so excited to be your vice Deputy-USG of General chair! This is my second-year chairing SciMUNC- last year I chaired the Munich Assemblies and Specialized Committees Conference committee. I joined Model UN my freshman year and am now a junior. Since then, I have had the pleasure of attending conferences and learning Lars Zeana-Schliep USG of Crisis Committees all about foreign diplomacy. Outside of MUN I enjoy singing and playing softball. I look forward to engaging in discussion with all of you, and I cannot wait to see Rehan Yazdani what you guys will accomplish. Deputy- USG of Crisis Committees Diane D. Steiker Sincerely, Faculty Advisor Lucas and Julia 75 West 205th Street Bronx, NY 10468 [email protected] www.scimun.com SciMUNC XIV | 4 Committee Description CCol UNHRC The United Nations Human Rights Council, in its own words, is an “inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe” that meets in Geneva, Switzerland. A relatively new organization, the UNHRC replaced the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR) after there were, ironically, complaints that countries with poor human rights were members of it. Accountability is mainly represented in the form of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of all 193 UN member states and an available Complaint Procedure. The UNHRC cannot take major action if a violation of human rights is uncovered, that is left up to the Security Council. All in all, the organization is an essential part of the United Nations, and the nations within have a very important responsibility to the rest of the world. The UNHRC is imperative to further cooperation within the global community. 5 | UNHRC | Rwandan Genocide Background CCol Introduction they did not see the other as the enemy, this outlook of the groups’ relationship did not This committee is set during the events of the prevail Rwandan Civil War and Genocide. You will The tension between the Tutsi and adopt the standpoint of one of many countries Hutu escalated when European (Belgian) present in the conflict, and this can range colonizers came to Rwanda in 1884. The from military, political, and civilian Tutsi were allowed to be part of the new personnel. The objective is to achieve your colonial government and therefore gained self-designed goals and engage with the power over the Hutus. This power dynamic committee to the fullest extent possible, combined with the racial messages that the ultimately (hopefully) being in a more two groups were taking on led to a rivalry favorable position than you were at the start. between them. Don’t be afraid to be ambitious! A specialized In 1959, after years of the Tutsi’s committee can be incredibly fun, all it takes minority rule, Grégoire Kayibanda, an ethnic is your own effort. the fun of a GA Hutu, led the Party for Hutu Emancipation committee, all the scheming and and overthrew the Tutsi’s feudal monarchy. backstabbing makes it all worthwhile in the In 1960, elections were held, and the Hutu end. Use whatever tools you can, research gained overwhelming political power. Two your character to enhance portfolio powers. years later, with the Belgian government’s Leading Up to The War approval, Rwanda gained its independence In order to understand what motivated people under a Hutu majority rule. The Tutsi fled to act the way they did in the Rwandan Rwanda after a loss of their central power and Genocide; one has to look at all of the moved into neighboring countries. circumstances that led up to it. The two main The Tutsis, who became refugees in social groups in Rwanda, the Hutu and the Uganda, created a group called the Rwandan Tutsi, were always divided. They started as Patriotic Front, or RPF (first known as the two separate groups from neighboring Rwandan Refugees Welfare Association and regions with different origins, histories, and then the Rwandan Alliance for National moral and ethical features. While at first, it Unity), in 1979 to protect themselves from seemed as though, despite their differences, discrimination by the then-president of SciMUNC XIV | 6 Uganda, Milton Obote. The Tutsis were The Rwandan Civil War suspected of collaborating with Obote’s cruel On October 1st, 1990, preparations were predecessor, Idi Amin (sometimes referred to finished. RPF rebels deserted Ugandan army as “the butcher of Uganda”). Rwandan posts and crossed into Rwanda— beginning refugees Fred Rwigyema and Paul Kagame the invasion. However, the following day joined Yoweri Museveni’s rebellion, the Rwigyema was killed whilst Kagame Front for National Salvation (FRONASA), remained in the United States, stalling the which was formed after Museveni left invasion and lowering overall morale. On government when Obote won the disputed October 15th, the RPF began losing ground 1980 elections. Together the three individuals and Kagame returned to organize a retreat of formed the National Resistance Army (NRA) his forces. Habyarimana declared victory to overthrow Obote —beginning the over the rebels by October 30th. The Ugandan Bush War in October of 1980 and Rwandan government used the attack as inviting many Tutsi refugees to join the army. justification for the arrest of some 8,000 Tutsi After a six-year campaign, Obote won the political opponents, and Radio Rwanda began conflict in 1986 and subsequently promoted rallying Hutus to commit ethnic massacres many Rwandans to senior officer positions. against their so-called “enemies.” Yet, after strong opposition from many Unbeknownst to Habyarimana, Kagame had Ugandans and suspicious inquiries by hidden in the Virunga mountains, rebuilding Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, his military and political strength. New Rwigyema and Kagame were demoted, only soldiers and funds came from exiled Tutsi pushing them to accelerate their plan for an communities all over. Slowly but surely the attack against Rwanda. Museveni knew of a RPF began reorganizing for a second possiBle RPF plan to invade Rwanda, so he campaign. ordered RPF leadership to attend an officer training course at Fort Leavenworth in the By January 1991, Kagame’s preparations United States. Rwigyema managed to were ready. He began a guerilla campaign convince Museveni to let him stay, but to with raids on the nearby town of Ruhengeri, avoid discovery of the RPF’s plans Kagame freed political prisoners, and struck a blow to left instead.