The genocide in Rwanda, three decades on
April 6 marked the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda that saw nearly one million people, mostly Tutsis, slaughtered in around 100 days.
Several factors contributed to the horrific scale of the tragedy, including colonial-era favouritism towards the Tutsis that enraged other groups, a media landscape ripe for spreading hate, and the international community's slow response. Three decades on, even as the country continues to rebuild and reconcile, the sporadic discoveries of mass graves of genocide victims serve as stark reminders of the horrors that unfolded over less than four months in 1994. Only days before the 30th anniversary, Rwandan officials announced the discovery of the remains of 119 people thought to be genocide victims. As recently as 2020 one of the largest mass graves was unearthed, containing 30,000 bodies. Five years ago, on the 25th anniversary of the genocide, The New Humanitarian published this four-part series examining how Rwandans and the humanitarian community have moved on. Here’s another chance to read those stories:
Rwanda, part 1: Born into a legacy of genocide
Rwanda, part 2: What humanitarians need to remember 25 years on
