The Rwanda Genocide - Thesis Example

The Rwanda Genocide The Rwanda Genocide is one of the biggest atrocities to have ever taken place in the modern history of Africa and this is mainly because of the fact that many people, most of them defenceless, were killed because of their ethnic background. The belief that one ethnic group was superior to the other is among the reasons why these events took place and they have remained a traumatic event in the history of Rwanda (De Lame 2009: 188). There have been attempts in recent years to reconcile the individuals who were on different sides during this genocide and this has been done in a manner, which is meant to ensure that Rwanda develops into a single cohesive society without any ethnic conflicts between the people of this state. Thus, in order to develop an understanding of the reasons behind the efforts of reconciliation, a discussion has to be made concerning the definition of ethnicity and the remedies, which can be used to ensure that it does not come to dominate the daily lives of individuals from different ethnic groups. In addition, a study of a similar process in South Africa has to be carried out and using this information develop and understanding of how to deal with reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. Apartheid South Africa, like Rwanda, was characterised by high levels of brutality and state sponsored violence favouring one ethnic group over the other. It was in an attempt to deal with the aftermath of these instances that the government worked towards the development of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission where the truth concerning all the atrocities committed could be revealed so that all of the parties involved could find closure. This was essentially a dialogue between the oppressor and the oppressed and it was a means through which peace could be brought between them in a manner that prevented any potential conflict from taking place in the country because of past grievances (Gibson 2004: 40). However, while the South African commission was essentially created for political reasons, since its purpose was to help in the transition from an autocratic system to a democratic one, any of such mechanisms that are developed in Rwanda should avoid any political allegiances. Instead, the attempts of reconciliation in Rwanda should focus more on the social and economic aspects of life between the communities that were previously in conflicts and in this manner; there can develop an actual process of healing between them. Attempts at reconciliation in Rwanda should be done in a context designed to show all the ethnic groups in the country that there is willingness among all parties to break with the past and bring in a new order based on the protection of the rights of all Rwandese, no matter their ethnicity. Ethnicity means people who share the same ancestry as well as religion, language and identity based on kinship. In addition, it can be defined as culturally specific practices and unique set of symbols and beliefs that are of a common origin and therefore, the way people think of themselves in relation to others. It can further be stated that an ethnicity is based on a populace with a legend of shared heritage, shared recollections and cultural aspects, in addition to a link with significant territory as well as solidarity (King 2005: 904). Ethnicity does not always result in conflicts and it can have positive attributes because it holds people together, gives them internal cohesion, inspires them to deliver natural security for each other and provides for their sense of identity and direction. It has been found that ethnicity exists in every country and it does not always lead to conflicts. One would therefore be said that ethnic differences exist in most countries but these differences would be insignificant if they are not also connected to processes and opportunities for economic survival where ethnicity can become a means of claiming place or advantage. Therefore, one would state that in order for the reconciliation programs that have been set up in Rwanda to succeed, this understanding of ethnicity has to be kept in mind so that all of the individuals involved in the process can work towards overcoming its negative aspects (Conway 2009; 760). In the reconciliation process led by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that took place in South Africa, for example, it was recognised that conflicts existed when two or more actors carried out acts, which were mutually inconsistent, and these had negative effects because they could cause death, destruction of property and underdevelopment. The reconciliation commission in South Africa recognised that ethnic consciousness and conflict occurs when groups feel threatened with the loss of previously acquired privilege or feel that there has developed an opportune moment to overcome longstanding denial of opportunity to enjoy a privilege. It was found that the conflict in South Africa was mostly over resources such as land, control of mines, control of political power and distribution of national incomes (Nagy 2002: 323). This perception was fostered both by some graphic individual scenes of interethnic violence, especially that committed by whites against blacks. This can also be said to be true of other parts of Africa where it has been found that because it has not only the utmost ethnic diversity, but also the utmost occurrence of civil war, and the result of this has been that the majority of conflicts in Africa after independence are ethnic based. The examples of the Biafra war in Nigeria in 1967, the current Somali conflict and the election related violence in Kenya 1992 and 2007 can be provided as conflicts which have been based on ethnicity and are still in need of reconciliation at a national level. Reconciliation has to be done from a modern perspective where there is recognition that in the country, there are a number of ethnic groups living together and whose interests have to be protected in an equal manner (Murray 2002: 198). This should be in contrast to ancient times where ethnicity was used to provide identity, mobilization, protection and intercommunity interaction. There should also be a recognition that ethnic differences are not exclusive to particular states or regions, and with this recognition, there should be a drive for there not only for there to be ethnic reconciliation at a national level, but in the international level as well because this should be seen as a worldwide problem. This is because of the fact that most conflicts in the world in the last decade have been fuelled by ethnic considerations. Conflicts have been experienced in Chechnya, Sri Lanka, between Buddhists and Sinhalese and in Africa in Rwanda between Hutu and Tutsi, just to name a few. Ethnicity especially has been used as criteria for inclusion and exclusion in regards to distribution of national resources. Ethnicity is not a phenomenon that is only experienced in Africa and this is mainly because most societies in the world suffer from incipient ethnic hostilities and a recognizable number of the world community experience open ethnic conflagrations. Ethnic conflicts come about as an end result of insufficiency of resources, political dissatisfaction, and militarization of ethnicity among others. It is because of these aspects that ethnic conflict in Rwanda that led to the genocide should not be ignored because to do so would mean the planting of the seeds that might later return the country into anarchy. It is a fact that the potential of ethnic conflict because a lack of efforts to reconcile the different ethnic groups in the Rwanda genocide is very real. This is the reason why all that is possible should be done to reconcile individuals from these ethnic groups so that they can learn to live with each other in peace and without animosity (Ingelaere 2010: 49). The need to prevent ethnic-based conflict in Rwanda, as was the case in South Africa, has presented a challenge to its leaders and academics. This is mainly because of the fact that ethnic conflicts have become a severe challenge of our times, which possibly describes why ethnicity is seen as a ruling concept in African studies at present. The ethnic conflicts in Rwanda, both past and potential ones, cannot be ignored because if they are, it is most likely that the country might experience several setbacks in form of socio-economic and political problems, which unquestionably stem from ethnic differences and these would be detrimental to all of the ethnic groups, involved (Newbury 1998: 12). Thus, a history of the conflict has to be studied to ensure that all of its root causes can be discovered and solutions to deal with these causes developed in such a manner that it promotes the reconciliation and wellbeing of both the Hutu and the Tutsi in Rwanda. Ethnic conflict in Rwanda, even after the genocide, should not be treated as a new issue and it should be recognised that the polarization between various ethnic groups has resulted in conflicts as a result of competition for political and economic power, and other resources due to spawned negative consequences of tremendous proportions resulting in ethnic cleansing. It should be recognised that it is the colonial legacy, which compounded the ethnic conflict in Rwanda because the colonial government often favoured one group over the other and this bitterness grew even after independence (de Lame 2006: 413). Thus, the challenges that come with ethnic conflicts are based on how an antagonistic group is able to identify itself and be recognized in this modern independent state. It has been found that Rwanda has two major ethnic groups and these are Tutsi and Hutu but while this may be the case, it has also been found that the antagonism between them grew and became entrenched in the country even before its independence. The situation in the South African reconciliation process is comparable to that which is happening in Rwanda and it can be suggested that the solutions that were applied in the racial and ethnic conflict South Africa are also applicable to that in Rwanda (Hamber 1998: 19). It is therefore the best thing for the people of Rwanda, whether Hutu or Tutsi, to settle their differences through dialogue because all other means of bringing a peaceful solution to the conflict are bound to fail. Dialogue should be made the paramount means of conflict resolution and it should be encouraged within the society. Since the current president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, came to power, peace has returned to the country through his government’s encouragement of dialogue and a return of friendship between the two major ethnic groups in the country. To maintain the peace that has made Rwanda thrive for the last two decades, Rwanda should adopt the South African system of constant dialogue and understanding of the ethnic differences between the people of the nation. This will ensure that all the ethnic groups in the country come to develop and understanding of each other and with this understanding an appreciation of their differences and their contribution to the growth of the nation. As has been seen above, the Rwanda Genocide is one of the biggest atrocities to have ever taken place in the modern history of Africa and this is mainly because of the fact that many people, most of them defenceless, were killed because of their ethnic background. Furthermore, it has been found that Apartheid South Africa, like Rwanda, was characterised by high levels of brutality and state sponsored violence favouring one ethnic group over the other. Thus, it was in an attempt to deal with the aftermath of these instances that the South African government worked towards the development of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission where the truth concerning all the atrocities committed could be revealed so that all of the parties involved could find closure. In the reconciliation process led by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that took place in South Africa, for example, it was recognised that conflicts existed when two or more actors carried out acts, which were mutually inconsistent, and these had negative effects because they could cause death, destruction of property and underdevelopment. Moreover, it is important that reconciliation be done from a modern perspective where there is recognition that in the country, there are a number of ethnic groups living together and whose interests have to be protected in an equal manner. Finally, it should be recognised that it is the colonial legacy that compounded the ethnic conflict in Rwanda because the colonial government often favoured one group over the other, this bitterness grew even after independence, and this has to be remedied for there to be lasting harmony in the society. Works Cited Conway, P. G. "After Genocide: Transitional Justice, Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Reconciliation in Rwanda and Beyond." Choice 47.4 (2009): 760-1. De Lame, Danielle. "Killing Neighbors: Webs of Violence in Rwanda." African Studies Review 52.3 (2009): 187-8. De Lame, Danielle. "Accounting for Horror: Post-Genocide Debates in Rwanda." American Anthropologist 108.2 (2006): 413-4. Gibson, James L. "Truth, Reconciliation, and the Creation of a Human Rights Culture in South Africa." Law & Society Review 38.1 (2004): 5,40,1-2. Hamber, Brandon. "The Burden of Truth: An Evaluation of the Psychological Support Services and Initiatives Undertaken by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission." American Imago 55.1 (1998): 9-28. Ingelaere, Bert. "Do we Understand Life After Genocide? Center and Periphery in the Construction of Knowledge in Postgenocide Rwanda." African Studies Review 53.1 (2010): 41-59. King, Elisabeth. "Educating for Conflict Or Peace: Challenges and Dilemmas in Post-Conflict Rwanda." International Journal 60.4 (2005): 904-18. Murray, Sylvester. "The South African Truth Commission: The Politics of Reconciliation." International Journal of Conflict Management 13.2 (2002): 198-200. Nagy, Rosemary. "Reconciliation in Post-Commission South Africa: Thick and Thin Accounts of Solidarity." Canadian Journal of Political Science 35.2 (2002): 323-46. Newbury, Catharine. "Ethnicity and the Politics of History in Rwanda." Africa Today 45.1 (1998): 7-24. Read More