Building peace and security after genocide: the contribution of the<i>gacaca</i>courts of Rwanda

Wielenga, Cori; Harris, Geoff

doi:10.1080/10246029.2011.561008

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Alliances that had previously been made between, for example, genocide widows and wives of prisoners, were thereby once again put into question [54,55]. A large portion of our sample of former prisoners was released within about the same period of time and therefore took part “in the government confession program” that provided a reduced sentence for perpetrators who admitted guilt and remorse [56,57]. Released prisoners expressed being especially grateful to the government as well as for the introduction of the Gacaca tribunals, as most of them were released due to this new judicial initiative.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rwanda – lasting imprints of a genocide: trauma, mental health and psychosocial conditions in survivors, former prisoners and their children

Rieder

Elbert

2013

Confl Health

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BackgroundThe 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda left about one million people dead in a period of only three months. The present study aimed to examine the level of trauma exposure, psychopathology, and risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors and former prisoners accused of participation in the genocide as well as in their respective descendants.MethodsA community-based survey was conducted in four sectors of the Muhanga district in the Southern Province of Rwanda from May to July 2010. Genocide survivors (n = 90), former prisoners (n = 83) and their respective descendants were interviewed by trained local psychologists. The PTSD Symptom Scale Interview (PSS-I) was used to assess PTSD, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25) to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety and the relevant section of the M.I.N.I. to assess the risk for suicidality.ResultsSurvivors reported that they had experienced on average twelve different traumatic event types in comparison to ten different types of traumatic stressors in the group of former prisoners. According to the PSS-I, the worst events reported by survivors were mainly linked to witnessing violence throughout the period of the genocide, whereas former prisoners emphasized being physically attacked, referring to their time spent in refugee camps or to their imprisonment. In the parent generation, when compared to former prisoners, survivors indicated being more affected by depressive symptoms (M = 20.7 (SD = 7.8) versus M = 19.0 (SD = 6.4), U = 2993, p < .05) and anxiety symptoms (M = 17.2 (SD = 7.6) versus M = 15.4 (SD = 7.8), U = 2951, p < .05) but not with regard to the PTSD diagnosis (25% versus 22%, χ2(1,171) = .182, p = .669).A regression analysis of the data of the parent generation revealed that the exposure to traumatic stressors, the level of physical illness and the level of social integration were predictors for the symptom severity of PTSD, whereas economic status, age and gender were not. Descendants of genocide survivors presented with more symptoms than descendants of former prisoners with regard to all assessed mental disorders.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated particular long-term consequences of massive organized violence, such as war and genocide, on mental health and psychosocial conditions. Differences between families of survivors and families of former prisoners accused for participation in the Rwandan genocide are reflected in the mental health of the next generation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rwanda – lasting imprints of a genocide: trauma, mental health and psychosocial conditions in survivors, former prisoners and their children

Rieder

Elbert

2013

Confl Health

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“…At that time, this identity was instrumental for the new government since it was a practical transforming factor in solving the Genocide issue. Without employing the traditional or ethnic methods of reconciliation, the new government would not have been able to come to a closure of the chapter because more than 800,000 alleged perpetrators were awaiting trial (Wielenga & Harris, 2011). (Wielenga & Harris, 2011, p. 16)The primary means of reconciliation and post-war conflict management was that transitional justice was employed through the Gacaca system, led by the traditional leaders of the communities.…”

Section: Internal Economic and Political Interest Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflecting on Determinant Factors of Violence in Light of the Governments' Access to Resources, Vested Political Interests and Ethno-religious Identities in the Rwandan Genocide After 25 Years

Weldu,

Wakayo

2024

AJERNET

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The research sought to know the primary determinant factors of violence in light of the governments' access to resources and vested political interests on the one hand and ethno-religious identities on the other in the context of the Rwandan Genocide. The Instrumentalism Theory of Ethnicity guided the research. The research used a qualitative research design within the phenomenological approach. A non-probability snowball sampling technique was used. The data collection method was interviews; hence, the data collection instruments were interview guides. A total of ten participants from the Republic of Rwanda participated in the interviews. Thematic data analysis was used to arrive at the research result. The research findings pointed to the determinant factors of violence linked to colonial powers, governments and ethnoreligious identities. The political interests and the resource issues of the governments are stronger determinants of violence than the ethnoreligious identities. This means that religion, ethnicity, and other cultural grievances remained secondary or instrumental factors that the external and internal governments utilised in the history of Rwanda. In addition, the research found that religion and ethnicity are important agents in exacerbating conflict and building peace and social transformation in the aftermath of conflicts. They bring the warring parties into reconciliation, healing, and enhancing peace. Therefore, the research findings concluded that the lack of natural resources, Rwanda being a land-locked country, and overpopulation of the geographical space exposed the people of Rwanda to virtual poverty. This socio-economic reality exacerbated the government's desperate search for access to meagre resources by external and internal political and ethnic authorities. Hence, the primary cause of the genocide was the desperate search for resources and political manoeuvres to secure them by holding on to power at any cost. The article recommends that all the stakeholders of Rwanda's peace and development must stand shoulder to shoulder to reduce poverty and create good governance.

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“…In the subsequent years Rwanda aimed to achieve reconciliation through restorative justice and superordinate national identity. In 2002, Rwanda's traditional Gacaca courts were revived as a way to process more than 800,000 cases related to the 1994 genocide (Wielenga & Harris, 2011). In total, 1,958,634 genocide related cases were tried through Gacaca.…”

Section: The Role Of Superordinate Identification In Reconciliation I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of moral exemplars awareness on common ingroup identification and reconciliation in post‐genocide Rwanda

Atete,

Bilewicz

2023

Conflict Resolution Qtrly

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Moral exemplars (Imena) play an important part in commemorative practices and reconciliation in post‐genocide Rwanda. Acknowledging the essential role of moral exemplars in reconciliation and intergroup contact in post‐conflict setting, we aimed at examining the effects of exposure to moral‐exemplars on people's attitudes toward reconciliation and identification with superordinate national category in Rwanda. A study of 168 young Rwandans showed that higher awareness of moral exemplars during genocide was related to stronger ingroup ties with other ingroup members and higher centrality of national identification. Strong ingroup ties significantly mediated the effects of moral exemplars awareness on reconciliation attitudes. This shows that ties with other members of common national ingroup, as well as the centrality of superordinate categories could be effective means for reconciliation after genocide.

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Building peace and security after genocide: the contribution of thegacacacourts of Rwanda

Cited by 9 publications

References 3 publications

Rwanda – lasting imprints of a genocide: trauma, mental health and psychosocial conditions in survivors, former prisoners and their children

Rwanda – lasting imprints of a genocide: trauma, mental health and psychosocial conditions in survivors, former prisoners and their children

Reflecting on Determinant Factors of Violence in Light of the Governments' Access to Resources, Vested Political Interests and Ethno-religious Identities in the Rwandan Genocide After 25 Years

The effects of moral exemplars awareness on common ingroup identification and reconciliation in post‐genocide Rwanda

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