Facing The Future

On July 4, 1994, the RPF successfully captured the nation’s capital at Kigali after months of struggle and massacre (D).  As thousands of frightened Hutu began to flee the country for fear of violent retaliation, the RPF announced that the war was over and that they would initiate the formation of a broad Government of National Unity (C).  Rwanda also began to receive a great deal of support due to the guilt accumulated internationally from ignoring the genocide.  Finally after hundreds of years of ethnic violence, peace came about with the RPF’s decision to approach the national reconstructive process through reconciliation instead of the revenge that many Hutu anticipated (C).  The spirit of unity that overtook Rwanda brought an estimated two million refugees back into the country (A).  Practices such as Identity cards were banned and as a testament to the true progress that the country made, Paul Kagame, the Tutsi leader of the RPF, was elected president with 95.05 percent of the total popular vote (C).  What makes this victory even more impressive is that a nation that was 75 Hutu voted him in to that office (C).  Although the people of Rwanda still live with the awareness that ethnic violence could erupt again in the future, they have made tremendous progress in their efforts to create a united and independent Rwanda.