Time to Pretend? Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Abstract: In a post-conflict context, reconciliation takes place between the opposite forces, and when an ethnic conflict has occurred; reconciliation takes place between the opposed ethnic groups. Thus reconciliation is part of a process of decreasing ethnic tensions, but not the only important aspect. Rwanda is a least-likely case for declined ethnic tensions, due to the brutal genocide in 1994. Two aspects of reconciliation are examined: jurisdiction and political impact. Gacaca and the ICTR illustrate jurisdiction and representation and political history writing exemplify political impact. Results of the study implies that gacaca could cause increased ethnic tensions in a short perspective, but discovering the truth is crucial for lessened ethnic tensions in a long perspective. Moreover, results suggest that a difficult issue for ICTR's success is that the institution is not visible in every-day life. In short, lacking diversity on the truth presented in courts is a critical weakness in the justice process. Political impact, it is implied, has largely been negative in Rwanda because of two factors: the attempt to rewrite history in a winners? perspective and the paradox that power is instiuttionalized to Tutsis while all ethic identities are banished in public life.