June 1, 1994 marked the 57th day of the 100-day Genocide against the Tutsi, as the interim government and its allies continued the systematic extermination of Tutsi across Rwanda.
As the killings intensified, international pressure mounted against Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), the notorious radio station that had become one of the principal tools used to incite and coordinate the genocide.
On this day, U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy called on the United States government to take action to stop RTLM from continuing to broadcast messages that encouraged violence against Tutsi. His appeal reflected growing concern among some members of the international community over the role of hate media in fueling the massacres.
RTLM, which began broadcasting on July 8, 1993, had by 1994 become one of the most influential radio stations in Rwanda. Combining popular music, political commentary, and interactive programming, it attracted a large audience across the country. Behind its entertainment appeal, however, the station was systematically spreading extremist propaganda and anti-Tutsi hatred.
Long before the genocide began, RTLM had promoted ethnic division through coded language, misinformation, and inflammatory commentary. As the genocide unfolded, its broadcasts became increasingly explicit, openly encouraging the persecution and killing of Tutsi.
The station repeatedly portrayed Tutsi as enemies and legitimized violence against them. Its broadcasts identified individuals and locations, helping perpetrators target victims and spread fear among those attempting to flee or hide.
Following the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, RTLM intensified its propaganda campaign, falsely accusing the RPF-Inkotanyi and Tutsi of responsibility for the attack. It urged listeners to join what extremists described as a final struggle against Tutsi, frequently using coded expressions such as “cut down the tall trees,” a phrase widely understood as a call to kill Tutsi.
The role of RTLM had already attracted criticism during the Arusha Peace Process, where opponents of the Habyarimana regime argued that the station was promoting hatred and undermining peace efforts. Despite these warnings, the station remained on air and continued broadcasting throughout much of the genocide.
One of RTLM’s most infamous broadcasters, Kantano Habimana, became known for inflammatory statements that encouraged violence. Through its presenters and programming, the station played a significant role in mobilizing perpetrators and sustaining the momentum of the genocide.
The call by Senator Kennedy came at a time when evidence of mass atrocities in Rwanda was becoming increasingly difficult for the international community to ignore. Yet despite mounting concerns and growing recognition of RTLM’s role in incitement, no immediate action was taken to silence the station.
RTLM continued broadcasting hate-filled messages until the genocidal regime was defeated by the RPF-Inkotanyi in July 1994, bringing an end to the Genocide against the Tutsi and one of the darkest chapters in Rwanda’s history.
