On April 7, during the opening ceremony of Kwibuka, Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Jean Damascène Bizimana, delivered a historical review of Belgium’s 106-year involvement in Rwanda, tracing its colonial and post-colonial policies to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Colonial policies and ethnic divisions
Minister Bizimana emphasized how Belgian colonialism institutionalized ethnic divisions, laying the groundwork for violence.
“Belgium’s interference began in 1916 when, under an agreement with Germany and Britain, it altered Rwanda’s territorial boundaries, removing provinces like Masisi and Rutshuru,” he stated.
Belgium imposed a series of colonial laws that stripped Rwanda of its sovereignty and subjected it to Belgian Congo’s legal system. The March 21, 1917 decree introduced ikiboko (corporal punishment), while the July 26, 1925 law erased Rwanda’s independent governance.
Between 1924 and 1946, Belgium signed treaties with the United Nations promising progress, democracy, and human rights. However, it instead deepened ethnic divisions, influenced by internal Flemish-Walloon conflicts. Belgian officials such as Voisin and Mortehan categorized Rwandans along ethnic lines from 1926 to 1932.
“King Yuhi V Musinga resisted these colonial policies but was deposed by Belgium on November 12, 1931, and exiled to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Four days later, Belgium installed his son, Mutara III Rudahigwa, who initially cooperated with the Belgians. However, Rudahigwa’s increasing push for self-rule angered Belgian authorities.” He said
Minister Bizimana stated that Belgian Governor Jungers, in collaboration with Frère Secundien of Groupe Scolaire Astrida, plotted his removal. Rudahigwa’s sudden death on July 25, 1959, widely suspected as an assassination, further illustrated Belgium’s control over Rwanda’s monarchy.
Belgium’s role in ethnic politics and massacres
Following Rudahigwa’s death, Belgium backed the Parmehutu party, which promoted ethnic divisions. Parmehutu manifestos between 1959 and 1969 declared Rwanda a Hutu nation, legitimizing the persecution of Tutsis.
On November 3, 1959, Belgium deployed Colonel Guy Logiest to Rwanda, who, along with Belgian and Congolese troops, facilitated Parmehutu’s rise to power.
By December 1961, 13,890 Tutsis had been forcibly displaced to Bugesera, subjected to inhumane conditions and prevented from returning home.
Discrimination extended to employment and the military. In 1959, Catholic priest André Perraudin and Colonel Logiest orchestrated the removal of Tutsis from government positions, ensuring a Hutu-controlled administration.
The Rwandan National Union (UNAR), which opposed these injustices, was labeled a Tutsi and communist party, undermining its legitimacy.
Belgium’s complicity in genocide preparations
Minister Bizimana cited internal Belgian reports revealing awareness of impending genocide. General Documon, a leading Belgian official, warned in a letter dated November 27, 1961:
“If the police take full responsibility for security in Rwanda, massacres could be labeled as genocide, and we will face the risk of being accused as perpetrators.”
In March 1962, Rwandan forces killed 2,000 Tutsis in Byumba, with Belgian officers complicit. In December 1963, over 35,000 Tutsis were murdered under the command of Belgian officers, including Dubois and Turpain. A December 24, 1963 telegram from the Belgian ambassador confirmed:
“Many people are being unlawfully detained. I can see where this is heading—it is the mass killing of Tutsis.”
Reports from early 1964 detailed large-scale massacres in Gikongoro, with estimates of 15,000 Tutsi killed by December 25, 1963. Alarmed, Belgium issued a statement on February 7, 1964:
“Given the accusations against the Rwandan government, our embassies must issue directives on how to conduct themselves amid the extermination of the Tutsi. The killings have escalated to an international level, making it imperative to shield Belgium from implication in this genocide.”
Post-Independence influence and 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi
On June 1, 1962, Belgium granted Rwanda independence, implementing a constitution that reinforced Tutsi exclusion. On November 24, 1962, Rwanda was officially declared a Hutu nation, leading to laws that barred Tutsis from education and employment.
In 1967, President Grégoire Kayibanda formalized these policies, ordering that no Tutsi be hired in embassies or international organizations.
During President Juvénal Habyarimana’s rule, Belgium remained involved in shaping governance. The 1978 constitution, authored by Belgian Philippe Reyjents, maintained Tutsi exclusion.
As the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) fought for the right to return, Belgium’s IDEESE party supported Habyarimana’s MRND regime, collaborating with France to spread anti-RPF propaganda.
”Belgium also expelled Queen Rosalia Gicanda when she sought medical treatment, despite knowing she was a likely genocide target.” He highlighted
Belgium’s role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was further demonstrated when its troops abandoned Tutsi civilians at ETO Kicukiro, leaving them to be massacred. After the genocide, Belgium engaged in negotiations with former Habyarimana officials, contributing to the formation of the FDLR, a militia responsible for ongoing regional violence.
Levy Gasana/The Kaminuza star