Healing from genocide in Rwanda

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Healing from genocide in Rwanda

• Alternatives to Violence Programs
• March 13-15, 2008
• By Linda Kreitzer and Mary Kay Jou

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Map of Rwanda
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Agenda of workshop

• Historical background of both Rwanda and the
  Congo and current situation.
• Alternatives to Violence Programs (AVP)
• Mary Kays work in Rwanda and the Congo.

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History of Rwanda

• Pre-colonial period Tutsi cattle breeders
  arrived in Central Africa and established a
  monarchy headed by a king and a feudal hierarchy
  of Tutsi nobles and gentry. Over the years race
  and class were less distinct and there was
  peaceful times of living together.
• End of 19th century Nyiginya dynasty
• Hutus tended to be farmers, Tutsis were
  stockbreeders and Twa were hunters or potters.

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Colonialism

• First European, a German, came to what is now
  Rwanda followed by the white fathers or
  missionaries.
• Belgium rule 1915-1962.
• Hamitic hypothesis
• 1959 revolt
• 1960-61 Hutu election victory
• 1961 1967 Tutsi massacres

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After Independence

• First republic 1962-1973 Kept up with racial
  profiling. This time the Hutus were seen as the
  rightful inhabitants and the Tutsis were
  foreigners.
• 1972-1973 Ethnic violence erupted with more
  massacres.
• 1973-1994 Habyarimana government
• 1994 Second genocide

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History of Rwanda cont.

• The 1994 genocide in Rwanda was unprecedented and
  over 800,000 men, women and children were
  murdered. Within 4 months, 1.75 million people
  had fled.
• Work has been going on in Rwanda after the
  genocide to promote sustainability with economic
  and social development.

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History of Congo

• Pre-colonial
• Colonizaton (1908-1960)
• Republic of Congo (1960-65)
• Zaire (1965-1996)
• DR of Congo (1997)

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DR of Congos relationship to Rwanda

• 1996 Rwandan war and genocide had spilled over
  to Zaire.
• Use of refugee camps for Hutu military.
• Hutus and Zairian military join to fight
  Congolese ethnic Tutsis.
• Tutsi militia was supported by Rwanda and Uganda
  to oust Mobutu. Kabila named himself president
  when Mobutu left.
• 1997 renamed the DR of Congo

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DR of Congos relationship to Rwanda

• Several peace deals were brokered between Rwanda
  and Uganda but more fighting continued.
• By June 2003 all foreign troops except Rwanda
  pulled out of the Congo
• 2006 Multi-party elections were held and Kabila
  was sworn in as president.
• There are still Rwandan refugees in the Congo and
  a ceasefire was again obtained between Rwanda and
  the Congo in 2007. Rwanda continues to chase down
  Hutu on the Congolese side and tensions remain
  high between the countries.

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Rwanda today

• Visit to Rwanda
• Economic situation
• Political situation
• Psychological healing from the genocide.
• a. International Criminal Tribunal for
• Rwanda
• b. Gacaca system

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Rwanda Today

• c. Memorialization
• d. Solidarity camps

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Genocide healing and reconcilation

• True healing of a country includes addressing the
  social, economic, political and emotional needs
  of a country. Development activities can help
  reduce mental health problems due to the war. On
  the other hand, trauma healing can help to
  strengthen people to contribute to development.
• NGOs

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Projects and interventions

• International Rescue Committee
• UNICEF

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Projects and interventions

• There has been research and programs set up to
  deal with trauma from the genocide.
• One particular work has been by Ervin Staub,
  Laurie Pearlman and Vachel Miller.
• Another is by Annemiek Richters, Cora Dekker and
  Klaas de Jonge.

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Staub, Pearlman and Miller

• Work looks at the relationship between
  reconciliation and forgiveness.
• Reconciliation
• Forgiveness

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Staub, Pearlman and Miller

• Developing an intervention that could be used by
  groups after researchers left.
• Two-week seminar with Rwandans from local and
  international NGO.
• Seminars for national leaders.
• Evaluation of the Gacaca system.
• Seminars with journalists
• Radio programs

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Richters, Dekker and de Jonge

• Socio-therapy
• Focuses less on terrible memories of the past and
  focuses primarily on the here and now situation.
• Main goal is increasing safety and trust within a
  group

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References

• A. Richters, C. Dekker K. deJonge (2005).
  Reconciliation in the aftermath of violent
  conflict in Rwanda. Intervention, 3, 3, 203-221.
• E. Staub, L.A. Pearlman V. Miller (2003).
  Healing the roots of genocide in Rwanda, Peace
  Review, 15, 3, 287-294.

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References

• E. Staub, L.A. Pearlman, A. Gubin A.
  Hagengimana (2005). Healing, reconciliation,
  forgiving and the prevention of violence after
  genocide or mass killing An intervention and its
  experimental evaluation in Rwanda. Journal of
  social and clinical psychology, 24, 3, 297-334.
• A. Dyregrov, L. Gupta, R. Gjestad E. Mukanoheli
  (2000). Trauma exposure and psychological
  reactions to genocide among Rwandan children.
  Journal of traumatic stress, 13, 1, 3-21.