The Rwandan genocide: A humanitarian catastrophe in the pages of history

Abstract

The 1994 Rwandan Genocide remains one of the most shocking humanitarian catastrophes in modern history. In just 100 days, nearly one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally murdered in a systematic campaign of violence. This study explores the historical background, causes, and execution of the genocide as well as the international community’s response, legal processes, and national recon/ ciliation efforts. By applying theoretical frameworks from social psychology, international relations, and transitional justice, the article hypothesises that the genocide was a modern, state/engineered political project, enabled by elite orchestration, dehumanising propaganda, and a profound failure of international responsibility. The study adopts a comparative case methodology with discourse analysis and aims to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms behind mass atrocities and strategies for their prevention.