Genocide is the destruction of a cultural, racial, or political group through the use of "..unilateral mass killings..(Hintjens 267)." In April 1994, “Rwandan subjects and citizens were the main actors in the genocide (Hintjens 244).” The establishment of colonial rule by Europeans impacted the conflict in Rwanda due to the creation of ethnic boundaries between Tutsi and Hutu. Hierarchies were established based on European racial theories. During Rwanda's colonization and independence, the tension generated by European intervention only amplified, leading to ineffective quotas and regulations. Aside from the assassination of Rwandan President Habyarimana, propaganda through the news and media openly broadcast the planned genocide as an open secret (Hintjens 246). they were fluid (White 472).” During pre-colonial society, livestock ownership was the most significant factor of ethnic association between Hutu and Tutsi. “Any man with more than ten head of cattle was to be permanently classified as Tutsi, and any man with less than ten head of cattle as Hutu or Twa (Hintjens 253).” The Hutus had a passion for agriculture and the Tutsis were occasionally known for herding cattle. The aboriginal group of Rwanda were the Twa. They were the hunter-gatherer group that made up 1% of the population and were commonly considered the minority (Hintjens 252). Regarding the classification of social groups, the boundaries were not permanent. Hutu and Twa were made "lords of the land", but the Tutsis controlled the livestock of the land. The system was flexible and both groups could... middle of paper...: African Rights, 1995.Berry, John A. and Carol Pott. Genocide in Rwanda: a collective memory. Washington, DC: Howard University Press, 1999.Hintjens, Helen M. “Explaining the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.” The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol 37 No. 2 (June 1999): p. 241-286.Longman, Timothy. “Church politics and the genocide in Rwanda”. Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol 31 (May 2001): p. 163-186.Melvern, Linda. Conspiracy to Assassinate: The Rwandan Genocide. Verso, 2006. Staub, Ervin. “Reconciliation after genocide, mass killings or intractable conflicts: understanding the roots of violence, psychological recovery and steps towards a general theory.” Political psychology, vol 27 n. 6 (December 2006): page. 867-894.White, Kenneth R. “Blame of Racism: Genocide in Rwanda.” Journal of Black Studies, Vol 39 No. 3 (January 2009): p. 471-481.