BB-004 / Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Act
Hutu extremists, backed by elements of the government and military, systematically murdered Tutsi civilians and moderate Hutus. Killings were carried out primarily with machetes, clubs, and firearms at roadblocks, in churches, and in homes. The pace was unprecedented in modern history.
The Response
The United Nations and major powers failed to intervene effectively despite warnings. After the genocide, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) was established, issuing the first international conviction for genocide. Rwanda also conducted extensive gacaca community courts. The event remains a defining failure of the "responsibility to protect" doctrine.