How did European colonialism contribute to the genocide in Rwanda and Burundi? Choose the best answer choice, and explain.

Question

Responses

It increased ethnic tensions by privileging the Tutsi minority.
It increased ethnic tensions by privileging the Tutsi minority.

Europeans provided arms and military training to the Hutu majority in the decades prior to the genocide.
Europeans provided arms and military training to the Hutu majority in the decades prior to the genocide.

It increased ethnic tensions by outlawing the religious practices of minority groups.
It increased ethnic tensions by outlawing the religious practices of minority groups.

Europeans placed settlers in all key political and economic positions.

Answer 1

The best answer choice is "It increased ethnic tensions by privileging the Tutsi minority." European colonial powers, specifically Belgium in the case of Rwanda and Burundi, favored the Tutsi minority and granted them more power and privileges over the Hutu majority. This created resentment and deepened ethnic tensions between the two groups. The division and inequality created by colonial rule laid the foundation for the genocide that occurred later on.