NATIONAL RECONCILIATION : PROCESS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVE

A RWANDA’S EXPERIENCE

INTRODUCTION

Each conflict has root causes and dynamics peculiar to it, which in turn determine the subsequent post-conflict character of the state, shapes its reconstruction and the relevant peace building strategy.

Conflicts also have varying effects in terms of destruction magnitude, but they all lead to a state of moral, social, economic and political degeneration. In extreme cases conflict lead to a situation of total failed states

This was the glaring state of affair in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide. The country had been totally destroyed to the level where some people believed. Rwanda was never going to be a nation any more.

CHALLENGES OF PEACE BUILDING IN RWANDA’S POST GENOCIDE RECONSTRUCTION

  • 1 million people dead

 

300.000 orphans and non accompanied minors

500 000 Widows

3 million refugees and this at the time accounted for almost the half of the country’s population

  • Thousands of handicapped, horrified and vulnerable
  • A highly divided, suspicious and traumatized population
  • The whole economy and existing physical infrastructure had been destroyed
  • There was rampant insecurity resulting from perpetrators of genocide.
  • The country’s capacity to enforce law and order had completely been shattered
  • The judicial system and other state management mechanisms had been totally destroyed
  • 120,000 suspects of genocide in prisons.
  • Inflation stood at 65%
  • A decimated Civil Service or its membership having fled into exile.

CHALLENGES OF PEACE BUILDING IN GENERAL

  • Socio-political disintegration
  • Destruction of economy and infrastructure or loss of lives
  • Lack/limited administrative capacity like policy making, maintenance of law and order, coordination and implementation of national policies and programs.

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation in his most famous book Satyagraha in South Africa, writes; Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation in his most famous book Satyagraha in South Africa, writes.

 

Rwanda ’s president Paul KAGAME

“My vision of Rwanda is a united country that feels itself as an integrated into the sub region Family of nations, a country that is developed and has eradicated poverty, a country that is democratic, and above all, a stable country at peace with itself as well as with its neighbors.”

“ W e are the first of generations charged with the responsibility to rebuild post-genocide Rwanda. This is our promise to posterity and to the world.” Boston , USA , 2005.

“The choice is not between enhancing this or that sector, but rather, building capacity and partnership for all .”

Rwandan approach to national reconciliation & peace building after 1994 genocide

  • Revisit home-grown approach to the building of national unity and reconciliation, national identity and patriotism, and participatory conflict resolution mechanisms.
  • Unity and reconciliation, inclusiveness of everyone in the process of national reconstruction were inevitable ingredients for sustainable peace building.

Rwandan approach to capacity development for peace building after 1994 genocide

  • Establishment of NURC (National Unity and Reconciliation Commission) in March-1999 marked a milestone in reversing bad governance and combating all forms of discrimination and exclusion, in order to build a reconciled and prosperous nation.

FUNCTIONS OF NURC

  • Preparing and coordinating the national program for the promotion of national unity and reconciliation,
  • Putting in place and developing ways and means to restore and consolidate unity and reconciliation among Rwandans,
  • Educating and mobilizing the population on matters relating to national unity and reconciliation,
  • Carrying out research, organizing debates, disseminating ideas and making pub Making proposals on measures that can eradicate divisions among Rwandans and to reinforce national unity and reconciliation,
  • Denouncing and fighting against acts, writings and utterances which are intended to promote any kind of discrimination, intolerance or xenophobia,
  • Making an annual report and such other reports as may be necessary on the situation of national unity and reconciliation,
  • locations relating to peace, national unity and reconciliation,

What is reconciliation?

«Ubumwe n’Ubwiyunge bw’abanyarwanda byumvikana nk’imigenzereze y’abaturage bemera ko basangiye ubwenegihugu, umuco n’uburenganzira bungana, barangwa n’ubwizerane, ubworoherane, ubwubahane, uburinganire, ubwuzuzanye, ukuri, komorana ibikomere batewe n’amateka mabi baciyemo kugirango bashobore kwiteza imbere mu mahoro asesuye.»

  • Sharing common nationality, culture, equal rights & opportunities, healing each others wounds…so as to attain long lasting peace and development.
  • Reconciliation is a process of rebuilding community once again after violent conflict has taken place;
  • It is a process (not a one day / year or a decade event) and at the same time a goal- something to achieve.
  • It is costly, requires sacrifice and takes more time than most people are willing to accept.

THE NURC’S PEACE BUILDING STRATEGY

  • For successful peace building, community capacity building was essential since post genocide reconstruction required every individual’s participation.
  • Promote community and national dialogue.
  • Civic education and conflict resolution skills with the special focus on the youth, leaders, x-combatants, released prisoners, etc…
  • Advocacy for social inclusion and research for policy guidance.

Core elements

  • Honest acknowledgement of harm / injury;
  • Sincere regrets and remorse for the injury;
  • Readiness to apologize for one’s role;
  • Readiness of the parties to reconcile;
  • Commitment by the offender not to repeat the injury;
  • Sincere efforts to address the past injustices & compensate the damage…to the fullest extent possible.

THE NURC’S PEACE BUILDING STRATEGY

  • Promoting partnership with public and civil society institutions for integrating reconciliation in their work.
  • Empower communities to initiate reconciliation and economic initiatives (Associations, Student reconciliation clubs, Reconciliation volunteers).
  • Use of culture in promoting reconciliation, governance and economic development.

To sustain peace building and reconciliation process indigenous participatory home-grown approaches became inevitable