Troop Movements
To figure out who had control over what area, we engaged in numerous steps.
First, we began with the work of Alan Kuperman, which was informed by information provided by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency and General Henry Kwami Anyidoho's book "Guns Over Kigali: The Rwandese Civil War - 1994." All images will be placed on this webpage.
Second, we compared the initial starting points of the FAR locations to maps of military bases provided by the ICTR. These files are way to large but if one is interested in obtaining them contact us.
Third, these figures were updated with information provided by the CIA (i.e., Freedom of Information Act, Africa Review, Rwanda-Burundi Briefs and National Daily Reports) as well as information provided in a book by Captain Josue Abdul Ruzibiza (“Rwanda the Secret History”), which seeks to describe the events surrounding the Rwandan genocide and civil war with a focus on the RPF actions and troop movements. This is discussed further below.
The fourth step involved submitting our map to review of a former member of the RPF under the protection of the ICTR who provided a detailed (day-by-day) evaluation of our maps. Another evaluation was provided by the ICTR defense and then compared against Ruzibiza. Fourth, we submitted our modified map to the review of a former member of the FAR under the protection of the ICTR who again provided a detailed (day-by-day) evaluation of our maps.
Fifth, we worked with an expert in Arcview GIS to: 1) identify troop locations, 2) establish the battlefronts and 3) apportion deaths to the respective FAR, FAR-RPF and RPF territorial jurisdictions. As the French occupy parts of Rwanda during the conflict, we also had to account for their jurisdictions as well. Our strategy for this is provided here.
First, we began with the work of Alan Kuperman, which was informed by information provided by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency and General Henry Kwami Anyidoho's book "Guns Over Kigali: The Rwandese Civil War - 1994." All images will be placed on this webpage.
Second, we compared the initial starting points of the FAR locations to maps of military bases provided by the ICTR. These files are way to large but if one is interested in obtaining them contact us.
Third, these figures were updated with information provided by the CIA (i.e., Freedom of Information Act, Africa Review, Rwanda-Burundi Briefs and National Daily Reports) as well as information provided in a book by Captain Josue Abdul Ruzibiza (“Rwanda the Secret History”), which seeks to describe the events surrounding the Rwandan genocide and civil war with a focus on the RPF actions and troop movements. This is discussed further below.
The fourth step involved submitting our map to review of a former member of the RPF under the protection of the ICTR who provided a detailed (day-by-day) evaluation of our maps. Another evaluation was provided by the ICTR defense and then compared against Ruzibiza. Fourth, we submitted our modified map to the review of a former member of the FAR under the protection of the ICTR who again provided a detailed (day-by-day) evaluation of our maps.
Fifth, we worked with an expert in Arcview GIS to: 1) identify troop locations, 2) establish the battlefronts and 3) apportion deaths to the respective FAR, FAR-RPF and RPF territorial jurisdictions. As the French occupy parts of Rwanda during the conflict, we also had to account for their jurisdictions as well. Our strategy for this is provided here.
Mapping Ruzibiza
Captain Josue Abdul Ruzibiza was a Captain in the RPF until he left. For his background and a statement of why he decided to discuss what he did, see his press statement. Here is his wikipedia site.
We struggled somewhat with the language used by Ruzibiza. Below, we discuss how he explained what the graphs represent (this is from private correspondence). The first image shows initial positions in April.
We struggled somewhat with the language used by Ruzibiza. Below, we discuss how he explained what the graphs represent (this is from private correspondence). The first image shows initial positions in April.
Map 1:
--The arrow shows the direction that I propose and the color indicates that this refers to the
7th and 157th mobile units of the APR
--The direction I am proposing is for the Bravo, 211st, and 101st mobile units
--The arrow indicates the direction that the mobile unit Charlie was supposed to take
--The arrow indicates the the direction that I am proposing and the color pink signifies the
Bravo and 59th mobile units of the APR
--Natural forests, savannas, and national parks
--Lakes
--Provincial capitals
Map 2:
--The arrow shows the direction that I propose and the color indicates that this refers to the
Bravo, 7th, 21st, 101st, and 157th mobile units of the APR
--The arrow shows the direction that I propose and the color indicates that this refers to the
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and 59th mobile units of the APR
--Lakes
--Natural forests, savannas, and national parks
--Provincial capitals
--The arrow shows the direction that I propose and the color indicates that this refers to the
Bravo, 7th, 21st, 101st, and 157th mobile units of the APR
--The arrow shows the direction that I propose and the color indicates that this refers to the
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and 59th mobile units of the APR
--Lakes
--Natural forests, savannas, and national parks
--Provincial capitals
Map 3:
--The arrows show the direction that I propose. For the rest, the colors and symbols are
the same as on Map 1
Map 4:
--Movement of the APR troops up to the 3rd week of May 1994 (7th and 157th mobile
units)
--Movement of the APR troops toward Kigali (Alpha, Bravo, 59th, 101st), respectively on
April 7, 8, and 9 (21st), after the fall of Byumba (3rd week of April 1994)
--Movement of the APR troops at the end of May until July 4 1994 (59th, 101st, 157th,
15th)
--Movement of the APR troops after the takeover of Kigali (July 4-7 1994). This refers to
the 15th Bn [NOTE: I DON'T KNOW WHAT "BN" REFERS TO--SEEMS LIKE A
MILITARY ABBREVIATION] of Butare toward Gikongoro, from the 59th toward Kibuye,
of the 7th, 9th, Bravo, Charlie toward Ruhengeri and Gisenyi
--Presence of French troops in the safe humanitarian zone during the operation called
"operation Turquoise"
--The units that advance together
--The other symbols have the same meaning as on the other maps
