Rwanda's Indepence

COLONIZATION

• First colonized by Germans in 1894
• In 1916, the Belgians took control
• Always been called Rwanda
• Natural resources are: gold, tin ore, tungten ore, methane
• Main export: coffee

Ethnic Tribes

• Hutu: largest group, short and stocky
• Tutsi: taller, elegant, more European, Europeans favored them
• Twa: original settlers, pygmy

INDEPENDENCE

• 1957: Hutus call for change in power
• 1959: Dominique Mbonyumtwa (a Hutu politician) is beaten by Tutsi
• 1959-1961: Rwandan Revolution (caused by beating of Hutu polician)
• Hutu start assasinating Tutsi, Tutsi go into exile
• 1962: Rwanda proclaimed a republic with Gregoire Kayibanda as president

PROBLEMS

• Been independent for 53 years
• Most of population are poor farmers
• Rising tension between Ethnic groups
• Many diseases: HIV,Aids, Malaria
• During the genocide (1994) 800,000 were killed