Bodies in the Lake

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index.php?action=ajax&rs=GDMgetPage&rsargs[]=1964-01-24TimeMagazineBodiesintheLake.pdf&rsargs[]=0
BodiesintheLakeFriday,Jan.24,1964"AnewsituationseemstohavedevelopedinRwanda,"aspokesmanfortheInternationalCommitteeoftheRedCrossdeclaredinGenevalastweek.Indeedithad.IntheonetimeBelgiancolony,atribalmassacrelittleshortofgenocidewasunderway.Byconservativeestimate,6,000Watutsimen,womenandchildrenhavealreadybeenslaughteredortorturedtodeathbyhordesofBahutuwarriors.Forcenturiesthegiant(averageheight:6ft.6in.),WatutsiruledthemoreprimitivenativeBahutuastheirslaves.Thetableswereturnedin1960whentheBelgiansstagedanelectioninwhichthe1,500,000Bahutuwrenchedcontrolfromtheirlongtimefeudalmasters,whonumberedonlyabout250,000.TheBahutuwreakedasavagereprisal;afterRwandawonitsindependenceinJuly1962,some86,000WatutsistreamedintoneighboringTanganyika,Uganda,BurundiandtheCongo'sKivuProvince.ButtheWatutsitribesmenvowedrevenge.Bandsofnight-timeraiderscalledinyenzi("cockroaches")beganattackingBahutuvillages.TheweekbeforeChristmas,thousandsofWatutsirefugeessuddenlyinvadedRwandafromthreecountries.AlthoughtheyadvancedtowithinafewmilesoftheRwandacapital,Kigala,theWatutsiwerefinallyrepulsedinabloodybattle.Atthat,theBahutusetaboutexterminatingtheirenemiesonceandforall.EvenWatutsifamilieswhoneverleftthecountryweremassacred.Childrenwereimpaled,theforearmsofWatutsimenwerecutoff,andthemensentintothejungletodie.HundredsmoreweretossedintotheRuziziRiver,whichcarriedmaimedbodies125milesuntiltheybobbedupinLakeTanganyika.
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