Comparing Pakistan to Rwanda

One characteristic that Pakistan and Rwanda share is a history of colonialism. Both were colonized by European nations – Pakistan by England and Rwanda by Belgium. In each of these instances, the imperial power utilized divide and rule strategies. The Belgians divided the Hutus from the Tutsis. The British also divided the Indian population. Even the division of Muslims from Hindus had an effect on the current ethnic issues in Pakistan. No, the conflict today does not revolve around religious identities. However, this divide and rule strategy utilized by the British resulted in the Partition. The Partition has contributed to the current ethnic-based conflict in two ways. First, it legitimized Partition as a norm. Second, Partition resulted in several groups being marginalized. Marginalization and boundary activation are, of course, present in both situations.
The Sindhis provide a particularly similar comparison to the Tutsis in Rwanda. In Rwanda, Belgians deemed the Tutsis superior to the Hutus. They favored the Tutsis and used this group as a means of maintaining their colonial control over the region. The Sindhis enjoyed a similar status during English rule of India. The British standardized the Sindhi language and used it for records and administration as well as in public schools, thus elevating the Sindhis above non-Sindhi speaking groups.
Despite the high status enjoy by both the Tutsis and Sindhis under imperial rule, the situation changed drastically for both groups upon their countries’ independence. After the Belgians left Rwanda, the Hutus seized power and oppressed the Tutsis. Civil war between the two groups ensued. Likewise, after Partition, the Sindhis were marginalized. They had been one of the strongest supporters of the Two Nation Theory and expected to be generously rewarded for the services they had rendered on behalf of their nation. However, once Pakistan gained independence, Urdu was designated the national language instead of Sindhi. Also, the Mahajirs migrated from India to Sindhi and manipulated the power vacuum left by emigrating Hindus to their own benefit, much to the disadvantage of the native Sindhis. This, again, demonstrates how the British indirectly contributed to the current ethnic conflicts. The Sindhi people felt like second-class citizens within their own home.