In the civil war in Rwanda, were Tutsi's persecuted because they were mostly Catholic?

From what I've seen and read, it was mostly an ethnic conflict. Pope Francis has recently apologized and asked forgiveness for the catholic church's role in the genocide, as the church was close to the Hutu government and aided and protected clergy who participated in the killings, allowing them to flee to Europe and start new lives. 

No.   The Hutus wanted to take over.  Period. 

If you were not Hutu and you were Tsutsi you were murdered outright.  If you aided them at all, you were murdered outright.

All in the name of an ethnic "cleansing". 

LEFT TO TELL:

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.

It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.

The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss. This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at June 12, 2017 3:14 AM MDT

That genocide was tribal. If not Hutu then you had to go. Killing was the only choice. Amazing how the world stood by and let that happen.

Tribal. The Hutus are also mostly Catholic.

In the civil war in Rwanda, were Tutsi's persecuted because they were mostly Catholic?

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1- Rwandans are ethnically mainly Hutus and Tutsis with the Hutus being the majority.

2- Islam was first introduced into Rwanda by Muslim traders from the East Coast of Africa in the 18^th/19th century. Both, Hutus and Tutsis, who came across the religion embraced it in equal numbers and at nearly 5% of the population it is the largest minority religion in the country.

3- Many European missionaries who arrived in Rwanda to prepare the ground for colonization saw Islam as a threat. The Roman Catholicism, brought to Rwandans during colonisation of the country by the Belgians in the late 19th century, is the largest religion in the country. The church leadership was closely linked to the colonial leaders, and therefore this anti-Muslim sentiment became codified in discriminatory policies. In 1960, the former government minister Sebazungu ordered the burning of the Muslim quarter and the mosque in Rwamagana. Following this event, Muslims were terrified and many of them fled to neighbouring countries. It is alleged that the Catholic Church was involved in these events, which aggravated the bitterness between the Muslims and Christians of that country.

4- The 1994 conflict in Rwanda was ethnic in which militias from the majority Hutus, who were Catholics, sought out to eliminate the Tutsis, who were also Catholics. Within a few months nearly 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis were mowed down primarily with machetes. However, the Hutus and Tutsis that comprised the Muslim population of Rwanda did not get involved in the ethnic genocide. The Hutus here actually protected Tutsi Muslims and non-Muslims. It was the Muslim Rwandans who were later called upon by the president of the country to “teach other Rwandans how to live together.”

Thanks for that. Other than Hutu Muslims also protecting non-Muslim Tutsi, I was aware of all of this part:
[4- The 1994 conflict in Rwanda was ethnic in which militias from the majority Hutus, who were Catholics, sought out to eliminate the Tutsis, who were also Catholics. Within a few months nearly 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis were mowed down primarily with machetes. However, the Hutus and Tutsis that comprised the Muslim population of Rwanda did not get involved in the ethnic genocide. The Hutus here actually protected Tutsi Muslims and non-Muslims.]