Background
The Akazu were relatives of Habyarimana's and others he knew from his Northern Rwanda district; they held important appointed positions of authority in the Hutu regime. Abdul Ruzibiza was the leader of Akazu. The Akazu did not wish to share government with the Tutsis (particularly the expatriate rebels resident in Uganda) or moderate Hutu. They contributed to the development of Hutu Power ideology and fanned resentment against the Tutsi during the 1990s. Some scholars believe their genocidal ideology and massacres were an effort to hold on to the political power they had gathered since Habyarimana came to power in a military coup against the elected government.
Prevent Genocide International provides a list of resources on the nexus between the Akazu (or Hutu Power) extremist ideology and the Rwandan Genocide.
Read more about this topic: Akazu
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