Rwanda has began the 20th anniversary of the bloodiest chapter in their history. At least 800,000 people died in the Rwandan genocide in 1994
via BBC
Rwanda will start a week of official mourning to mark the 20th anniversary of the country’s genocide on Monday. President Paul Kagame is to light a torch which will burn for 100 days – the length of time the genocide lasted.
A diplomatic row has prompted France’s justice minister to pull out of the commemorative events, but Paris says its ambassador will be present. At least 800,000 people – mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus – died at the hands of Hutu extremists in 1994.
Most of the victims of the genocide were attacked with machetes during 100 days of slaughter that began on 6 April 1994, shortly after Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana was killed when his plane was shot down over the Rwandan capital.
Some Christian leaders were implicated in the violence.
The killings ended in July 1994 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel movement that entered the country from Uganda, marched on Kigali and seized control of the country.