ing .Since then, a civil war has gripped Burundi; and what has happened there has only made things worse for Rwandans. This is due to the fact that many Rwandan Hutu have been exposed to Burundi Hutu’s horror stories about the atrocities committed by the Tutsi army in Burundi, thus heightening Rwandan Hutu paranoia .In Rwanda and Burundi, a genocidal campaign murdered more then a million people purely because of their social identity. The conflict over ethnic groups was brought into affect because of the social division that existed. In Rwanda, the main actors of the genocide that took place in April of 1994 were Hutu extremist militias, members of the former military, and innocent citizens .In Burundi the social division, like in Rwanda, is very evident. The Tustis in Burundi, although an overwhelming minority, have advanced training, skills, and overall knowledge. With advanced knowledge and skills the Tutsis were able to hold better paying jobs and positions of authority. Tutsi extremists took violent actions against the Hutu civilians. To combat this, Hutus extremists armed themselves and fought the Tutsis. The minority has been able to overcome the majority, and flourish because of their distinct advantage .This division of power between the minority and the majority is not a problem by itself. It is when this power becomes corrupt and, or oppressive that a problem arises. When a group feels that they are being mistreated, left out, or oppressed they will revolt for freedom. It is my opinion that this is what occurred in these countries and that the genocide was a result.The economic division within these two countries dates back to pre-colonial periods. The Tutsi have long controlled the economy of Burundi, while in Rwanda the Hutu have been in control since Independence. In Burundi the Tutsis controlled the entire economy structure, while in Rwanda the Hutu were able to take over when they overthrew the Tutsis ...
