Colonial rule in Rwanda began in 1895. It was used as the main force to rule during that period and led to the emergence of Rwanda's national identity. During the colonial era, German and Belgian officials viewed the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa as three distinct national groups. Colonial authorities helped the Rwandan monarchy centralize its control and expand its social system throughout Rwanda. This eliminated the local social and political variations that had been established earlier in the pre-colonial period. By creating new state institutions in Rwanda, colonial officials were able to import ideas of nationhood associated with the modern nation-state. The resulting social and political issues surround the idea of how Rwandan nationality should be defined. In other words, which ethnic groups should be considered “true” citizens of Rwanda? This concern is overshadowing Rwanda's validity as a national identity. The three ethnic groups present in Rwanda come from a combination of a large amount of immigration and numerous economic and social differences. Traditionally it is known that Twa groups were the original inhabitants; the Hutus migrated from the west, followed much later by the Tutsis from the northeast. Each group naturally adopted the language and most cultural practices found in Rwanda, although they also implemented some of their own practices. Differentiation between groups occurred only during the colonial period and resulted primarily from European ideas about race and identity than from historical cultural patterns. Colonial administrators attempted to organize power in Rwanda along ethnic lines and began to institute policies that made the Hutus pariahs and favored the Tuts... middle of paper... in support of the Rwandan government's overall development initiatives, USAID aims to improve the health and living conditions of Rwandans and increase economic and political expansion. To achieve this goal, USAID seeks to promote improved maternal and child health, agriculture and tourism, a more democratic Rwanda, and the provision of food aid to those who suffer most. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) (created by the Bush administration in 2004) works to secure foreign aid for countries in need. The MCC has currently worked with USAID to obtain approval of the Threshold Country Plan presented by the Government of Rwanda in November 2007. Once approved, the plan will be used by USAID and will focus on expanding existing forms of justice in Rwanda; together with civic participation and human and civil rights.
tags