Genocide, Citizenship and Political Identity Crisis in Postcolonial Africa: Rwanda As Case Study
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Genocide, Citizenship and Political Identity Crisis in Postcolonial Africa: Rwanda as Case Study By Faith R. Simbi Student Number 206525522 Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Social Science in International Relations, School of Politics, Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Science at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa Supervisor: Doctor Alison Jones 2012 1 | P a g e ACRONYMS AU African Union AU African Unity BBTG Broad-Based Transitional Government CDR Coalition pour le Defense de la Republique DRC Democratic Republic of Congo FRODEBU Front for Democracy in Burundi MDR Movement Democratique Republician MNRD Movement National pour la Revolution et le Development NRA National Resistance Army NRMD National Revolutionary Movement for Development OAU Organization of African Union PARMEHUTU Parti du Mouvement de l‟ Emancipation Hutu PL Parti Liberal PSD Parti Social Democrate RANU Rwanda Alliance for National Unity RPA Popular Resistance Army RPF Rwandan Patriotic Front RRWA Rwanda Refugees Welfare Association RTML Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines TANU Tanganyika African National Union UN United Nations UNAR Union Nationale Rwandaise UNHRCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2 | P a g e Declaration I, Faith Rumbidzai Simbi declare that this dissertation is my own original work. Student: Faith Simbi ------------------------------ Supervisor : Dr. Alison Jones: ------------------------------ 3 | P a g e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I would like to thank God for giving me the strength and the ability to complete my thesis. Secondly, my greatest appreciation goes to my supervisor Doctor Alison Jones for her guidance, encouragement and support. Without her comments and insights, the completion of this thesis would not have been possible. Thirdly, I wish to convey my wholeheartedly gratitude to my parents: Mr Martin Simbi and Mrs Ellen Mafara, my sister: Grace Simbi for their encouragement, prayers, love and support throughout this study. If it was not for you, I would not have done this study. Thank you. My special thanks goes to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Social Science, Pietermaritzburg Campus. Above all, I dedicate this work to my late friend Samuel Rucogoza. He inspired me to take on this research as he was a victim of the genocide. I was touched by his story and made an obligation to find out more about the genocide in Rwanda. 4 | P a g e ABSTRACT To state that the 1994 Rwandan genocide was one of the most horrific catastrophes that occurred in the 20th century is to restate the obvious. This thesis is an analytical exploration of the root causes of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It explains how Tutsi became non- indigenous Hamities and how Hutu became native indigenous, leaving the two populations to be identified along racial and ethnic lines. In 1933, the Belgians introduced identity cards which specified one‟s ethnic affiliation, giving birth to political identities as Hutu and Tutsi ceased to become cultural identities and became political identities. The identities of Hutu and Tutsi were not only legally enforced, but they also became linked to the governance of the state. Tutsi was now associated with state power and domination, while Hutu was linked with suppression and discrimination. Independent Rwanda, the Hutu took over power and continued to subscribe to some of the colonial racists ideologies and maintained Tutsi and Hutu as political identities. The once oppressed Hutu became the oppressor, whilst the once dominate Tutsi became the oppressed. The victim group construction theories were used in this study to examine the ills of race-branding in independent Rwanda. The Hutu regimes of the First Republic (1962-1973) and the Second Republic (1973-1994), failed to go beyond the colonist‟s strategy of divide and rule and instead continued to apply this racist ideology to bring justice to the Hutu, which turned into revenge for the Tutsi. Hence, this study analysis and evaluates how the citizenship and political identity crisis led to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Keywords: Genocide, Political Identity, Citizenship Crisis, Race, Ethnicity, Postcolonial Rwanda. 5 | P a g e Table of Contents Title……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Declaration .................................................................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter One: INTRODUCTION TO THE DISSERTATION ..................................................................... 8 1. Background to the research .............................................................................................. 8 1.2 Research problems and objectives: key questions to be asked…………………………………………..10 1.3 Central Research Problem............................................................................................. 10 1.4 Principal theories upon which the research project is constructed .................................. 10 1.5 Research methodology and methods ............................................................................ 20 1.6 Study limitations .......................................................................................................... 22 1.7 Key concepts utilized in the dissertation ........................................................................ 22 1.8 Structure of dissertation ............................................................................................... 25 Chapter Two: LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 26 2. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 26 2.1 Pre-colonial and colonial Rwanda .................................................................................. 27 2.2 The Influence of Events in Burundi ................................................................................ 37 2.3 Post-colonial Rwanda ................................................................................................... 47 2.4 The Arusha Accords…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...47 2.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 55 Chapter Three: LETHAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF POLITICAL IDENTITIES IN COLONIAL AND POST-COLONIAL RWANDA................................................................................... 56 3. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 56 3.1 The 1959 Social Revolution ........................................................................................... 56 3.2 The First Republic......................................................................................................... 59 3.3 The Second Republic .................................................................................................... 65 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 70 Chapter Four: THE DOMINO EFFECT? CRISIS AND TUTSI REFUGEES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION ... 71 4. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 71 4.1 Rwandese Tutsi refugees who fled to Burundi 1959 to 1973 ........................................... 72 4.2 Tutsi Rwandese refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo 1959 to 1964 .................. 72 4.3 Rwandese Tutsi refugees in Tanzania 1959 to 1973 ........................................................ 73 6 | P a g e 4.4 Rwandese Tutsi refugees in Uganda 1959 to 1973 ......................................................... 75 4.5 The birth in Uganda of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) .............................................. 80 4.6 The Rwandan government’s responses to the attack and how the Hutu reacted .............. 84 4.7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 85 Chapter Five: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 87 5. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 87 5.1 Causes of the genocide ................................................................................................. 87 5.2 Political Identity Crisis .................................................................................................. 92 5.3 Two-way Domino Effect................................................................................................ 93 5.4 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………93 5.5 Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 94 6: REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................