I'm not denying that colonial politics was involved
The Tutsis were deemed to be more "European" than the Hutus during the early days of colonialism. That's why they were brought into the Protestant church, and given positions of power by first the Germans, then (post WWI) the Belgians. But it wasn't until the French missionaries spread Catholicism amongst the supressed Hutu majority in the sixties that they came to believe in the "All men are created equal" creed. This spread until it reached a flashpoint in the nineties and Catholic seminaries were used as recruiting points for machete gangs.

The official African Union report names both the Anglican and Catholic churches as culpable in the Rwandan genocide. Rowan Williams even apologised for his church's part in it.

In a nutshell, I'd say it was part racism and part colonialsim, but the lion's share of the blame has to rest on our old friend, religious sectarianism - which you can always rely on when it comes to outrageous bloody violence.
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:05, 2 replies)

On the other hand
let's go out there and convert loads of people to a different religion than their neighbours...hey, what harm can it do?
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 11:17, closed)

Wait, that sounds more like the spread of democratic ideals was responsible.
"...it wasn't until the French missionaries spread Catholicism amongst the supressed Hutu majority in the sixties that they came to believe in the "All men are created equal" creed. This spread until it reached a flashpoint in the nineties..."

So, know your place and all will be well?
(Skittlemcfluff ......................, Tue 24 Mar 2009, 11:03, closed)