An attempt to investigate the impact of 1994 Tutsi Genocide in Rwanda on landscape using remote sensing and GIS analysis

Abstract: The 1994 Tutsi Genocide in Rwanda affected the society, as well as its surrounding environment. By the use of Remote Sensing and GIS, the study looked at the evidence of change to the landscape by looking at vegetation based on NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) To explain the reason behind the noticed change, the following parameters were used: • rainfall variations, • refugees and population number, • GDP and agricultural production. Rainfall was representing natural facts not related to Genocide while the rest of parameters were assessed as a result of Genocide. The landscape vegetation that prevailed before the genocide in 1987, during the genocide in 1995 and after the genocide in 2003 were reconstituted based on Landsat TM and ETM+ images. To explain the noticed change, socio-economic and environmental analysis was performed. From Landsat TM and ETM+ imagery data, the following was found over the study period: • NDVI decreased from 1987(0.54) to 1995(0.52), and increased from 1995(0.52) to 2003(0.54). • The rainfall fluctuation proved to be different with the NDVI trend. • Agricultural production and livestock showed that 1995 production was the lowest and 2003 the highest. • The total number of Rwandan population was higher in 2003 and lower in 1995. Therefore, NDVI was not influenced by the total number if we look Rwanda as a whole. • The number of refugees increased in 1995 to more than one million in Cyangugu, the region of study. It hosted that huge number, making it an exception in Rwanda, instead of having a decrease in population number, it witnessed an incredible increase, which resulted in an extensive use of land, and vegetation. This situation impacted the landscape, and is the main reason of the noticed change in NDVI, which was at its lowest in 1995. To conclude, this study showed that remote sensing and vegetation indices could be used as an indicator of changes in vegetation related to human activities such as the 1994 Tutsi Genocide in Rwanda.