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They are descendants of Rwandan and Burundian Tutsis who were taken to the DRC by the Belgian king to perform administrative functions in his colony. The DRC boasts of 450 tribes (some of which have been exterminated today by rebel groups such as M23 and L'AFC). Tutsi are native to Burundi and Rwanda along with the Hutu and Twa.
Muslims in Rwanda have only been accorded the same rights and freedoms as Christians since 2003, with the signing of the Rwanda Constitution, protecting freedom of religion and prohibiting religious discrimination. [2] Estimates show that there are equal numbers of Muslims among the Hutus as there are among the Tutsis. [3]
Christianity is the largest religion in Rwanda, with Protestantism and Catholicism being its main denominations. Around 3% of the population claims no religious affiliation, while another 3% practices other religions including traditional faiths .
The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, occurred from 7 April to 19 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. [4] Over a span of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were systematically killed by Hutu militias.
The Tutsis (14% before the Genocide, probably less than 10% now) are a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the 15th century. [11] Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattle-holding. [12] The Twa (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region.
The origins of the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa peoples is a major issue of controversy in the histories of Rwanda and Burundi, as well as the Great Lakes region of Africa.The relationship among the three modern populations is thus, in many ways, derived from the perceived origins and claim to "Rwandan-ness".
The Belgians concluded that the Tutsis and Hutus composed two fundamentally different ethno-racial groups. Thus, the Belgians viewed the Tutsis as more civilized, superior, but most importantly, more European than the Hutus. This perspective justified placing societal control in the hands of the Tutsis at the expense of the Hutus.
The Catholic Church in colonial Rwanda had significant influence over the country as a result of the church's involvement in most aspects of the country's infrastructure. [1] [2] [3] The Catholic missionaries, also known as the White Fathers, arrived at the same time as the first German colonial empire administrators, so both parties were very involved in shaping the influence of colonizers on ...