Aspects and Consequences of the Rwandan Law of Genocide Ideology: A Comparative Analysis1

Abstract

A number of countries have experienced genocide in the 20th century. The complexity in terms of the targets and the perpetrators of genocide has generated contradictory narratives and has complicated the interpretation and implementation of the laws of genocide in these countries and internationally. The objective of this paper is to analyse literature on the Rwandan genocide (1994), the Jewish Holocaust (1941-1945) and the Armenian genocide (1915-1917), in order to document circumstances surrounding the decision to implement (or not to implement) the laws of genocide ideology and the consequences for such decisions. One of the main findings of this research is that there are various scenarios for the application of the genocide ideologies, with narratives and their enforcement (or not) being quite different depending on the countries’ circumstances.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p2370