Antoine Socpa, Associate Professor of Political and Medical Anthropology, University of Yaounde I, revisits the 1994 pogrom in Rwanda that left hundreds of people dead.

What, according to you, led to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide?

According to historians and witnesses of the Rwandan Genocide that lasted from April to July 1994, nearly 800,000 men, women and children, mainly Tutsis were massacred. The causes were among others, built-up animosity between the Hutu and Tutsi communities, the series of triggering events such as the return of armed Tutsi exiles from the Rwandan Patriotic Front, RPF in October 1990 and the rise of an anti-Tutsi ideology.

This was amplified by events in neighbouring Burundi in 1992, especially the assassination in October 1993 of the country’s first elected Hutu President, Melchior Ndadaye. To all this must be added the quest for vengeance by Rwandan Hutus for the death of President Juvénal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994. A Rwandan who witnessed the killings said, "It's the Hutus who did not want the Tutsis in Rwanda. That is why they carried out the massacres. It was just a case of jealousy."

How do you assess the UN’s role in the genocide?

The cruelty of the killings obliged the United Nations to create the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. But it could have intervened earlier as rumours of planned massacres were already circulating before April 1994. By remaining silent for long, the UN almost discredited itself. It is difficult to understand why the UN did nothing to stop or prevent the killings that were prepared long ago. Warning signs of genocide were raised before by many experts and the information was even in the spotlight of the international media. The peacekeepers on the ground certainly knew of this.

Some 20 years on, what would you say has been the impact of efforts made by the government to reconcile the people?

Since then, there has been no war, which means the government has been working hard to ensure stability. The two communities seem to have reconciled. President Paul Kagame has been pragmatic by involving all Rwandans in moving the country forward. As a result, the country has witnessed significant social and economic progress.

Most Rwandans seem to appreciate his policies because he has generally been successful. Today, Rwandans are strongly discouraged from mentioning or emphasising tribe. The Head of State has made it clear that the evil days are over and that the people should all strive for a better and more united country.

Do you think the trials and sentences passed both within Rwanda and internationally have served as enough deterrence?

These trials can play an important role in the stability of the country provided they were sincere. Punishing culprits is important, but the intention should never be to increase enmity among the people. I think Tutsis have generally agreed to forgive Hutus since the end of the war. Living in peace and working together is what the people of Rwanda need most today.

The trials in Rwanda and abroad were justified by what happened. However, some of the jail terms were arbitrary, although they may still serve as deterrence. Regrettably, it seems that the current Rwandan leadership is using the 1994 Genocide as a weapon to fight perceived opponents. They are often accused of involvement in the killings and consequently thrown into jail.