The Rwandan Genocide refers to a systematic campaign of killing targeted against Rwanda's Tutsi minority and many opposition members of the Hutu majority in 1994. It is estimated that from April 6 to the middle of July, between 800,000 to 1 million Rwandans were killed by Hutu militia groups. A mastermind behind the genocide,Theoneste Bagosora, was sentenced to life in prison on December 18, 2008 by a United Nations tribunal. Times Online: Rwandan genocide mastermind sentenced to life in jail (December 18, 2008)

On June 22, 2009, another mastermind behind the killings, former interior minister Callixte Kalimanzira, 56, was convicted of of two counts of genocide and "direct and public incitement to commit genocide." He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_RWANDA_GENOCIDE_TRIBUNAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-06-22-09-36-59

The Rwandan Genocide is widely considered a failure for the United Nations and the complaisance of many western nations including the United States, France, and Belgium has drawn heavy criticism. While the United Nations had a special envoy to Rwanda, led by Romeo Dallaire, the UN Security Council failed to respond to the tragedy, and even reduced the size Dallaire's force, for the first months of the genocide. Other nations, including the United States were reluctant to become involved in what was initially interpreted as a "local conflict."

This page contains links to images and descriptions of graphic violence.