SUMMARY

The Tutsi are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group primarily residing in Rwanda and Burundi, with smaller populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Historically, they have been associated with cattle herding and held dominant political and social positions in pre-colonial kingdoms. The Tutsi established centralized monarchies, notably in Rwanda, where the mwami (king) was considered of divine origin. Their dominance was reinforced during colonial rule, as both German and Belgian administrations favored the Tutsi minority over the Hutu majority, exacerbating ethnic divisions.

In Rwanda, the colonial legacy and ethnic tensions culminated in the 1994 genocide, where the Government of Rwanda extremist Hutu orchestrated the mass killing of Tutsi and moderate Hutu over approximately 100 days. This atrocity led to the overthrow of the Hutu-led government by the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which subsequently established a new government.

In Burundi, the Tutsi minority maintained control over the military and government post-independence, leading to cycles of ethnic violence. Notably, in 1972, a failed Hutu rebellion resulted in the mass killing of Hutu civilians by the Tutsi-led government. Further violence occurred in 1988 and 1993, when ethnic clashes led to the deaths of thousands.

In the DR Congo (Zaire), Tutsi and Banyamulenge communities, particularly in the eastern regions, have been involved in conflicts, often citing protection of their communities as a motive. Groups like the CNDP and M23, primarily composed of Tutsi fighters, engaged in armed rebellions against the Congolese government.

In all these countries informally organized Tutsi have fought informally organized Hutu apart and this violence has been intermixed with fighting in organized militias.