Attention local readers!

For all our local readers out there, we wanted to let you know about a special opportunity to support PeaceTalks Radio and the Peace Center. This Thursday, December 6, we will be participating in a Community Shopping Event at Ten Thousand Villages in the King of Prussia Mall from 5-9pm. You can shop fair trade for some amazing Christmas gifts, and the Peace Center will receive a portion of all sales.

For more information and to view a catalog, visit Ten Thousand Villages online. Hope to see you there!

Reflections

July 28, 2012

Yesterday at the memorial, I was triggered by some things that surprised me. While walking through the exhibit there was a picture of kids looking at a family search board after the genocide, and it brought back such strong memories of 9/11. I really wasn’t expecting those memories, and I just had to sit by the photo for a while. I was so strongly reminded of 9/11 and how it changed the world as I knew it…how my sense of safety and security was robbed from me…how I was old enough to know things would change but young enough to not really understand what was happening. I know one would be hard-pressed to draw parallels between 9/11 and the genocide, but seeing those kids looking at the search boards…I understood that their lives had changed, their sense of safety was gone, and they were too young to really understand why this all had happened. Even though I’ll never understand the depths of their pain, in that moment I had a window into their lives, and all I wanted to do was hug them and cry with them.



Courtesy Los Angeles Times, http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/11/encountering-the-dead-journey-to-rwanda.html



The Power of Peacebuilding

It’s difficult to know where to begin in telling you about our time in Rwanda. We met so many people, experienced so many new things, and learned so much about Rwandan history and culture that there doesn’t seem to be a “best” place to start. However, in recognition of the fact that we recently celebrated International Peace Day, I thought it would be appropriate to start with a story about a group of people who demonstrate the healing power of peacebuilding.

Near the end of our first week in Rwanda, we visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial. I’ll post more about this visit in a later blog post, but for now it will suffice to say that it was by far the most difficult memorial I’ve ever visited. It took a long time to dry our tears, and even hours after we left we were all still wounded and so deeply sad from what we saw and experienced at the memorial.

And then came Ivuka Arts.

To fully understand what a breath of fresh air Ivuka was for us, it’s helpful to get a small glimpse of Kigali. Although the land is lush and green and the traditional dress is popping with color, the bustling capital is drab, especially during the hot, dusty dry season.

A view of Kigali from our street

Not Ivuka though. Brightly colored walls and objects pop out from the dusty neighborhood in which it’s located. The artists who work here at the collective have their art posted everywhere you look. The children that they are teaching and mentoring also have art displayed in a special gallery inside. 

Ivuka Arts

The color alone would have been enough to lift our spirits, but that afternoon a group of kids who participate in a dance and drumming group were at the art center for practice. This dance troupe is one part of Ivuka’s initiatives with children. In addition to the dance and drumming group, they also teach children how to paint, and all the funds raised from the dance troupe and selling the kids’ paintings goes to pay for the children’s school fees.

The children took some time to drum, sing, and dance for us…what a beautiful performance! Even though these children were born after the genocide, they have grown up in a country that is still recovering from the tragic events of 18 years ago. Despite the difficulties these kids face as they get older, they have such a joy about them and are so excited about life! They were truly a bright light for us, and their joy brought us such happiness and hope after such a heavy afternoon. As a student who is studying peace and conflict resolution, it was so moving to experience first-hand the power that peacebuilding work has.

Children at Ivuka - how can those smiles not make your heart happy?

It's a short clip, but I hope this little video will bring even a portion of the joy it brought to us that day. Enjoy! :)

To learn more about Ivuka Arts, you can visit their website at http://www.ivukaarts.com/.

We’re back!

Yikes! It’s been a little too long since we’ve updated you all on our work! But we are back…back from Rwanda and back to the blog. I promise. :) Over the next few weeks, I’ll post stories and photos (and maybe a few videos!) of an amazing, inspiring, heart-wrenching, and eye-opening three weeks in Rwanda. Some of it will be heart-warming, other stories might be tough to read in one sitting…but each story is so important and worthwhile.

Ready? Let’s go! 

In Their Own Words

"Despite all this, my parents never said a harsh word to us about Hutu. Our Hutu neighbors were our friends. They never told us we had reason to fear them, or that we should hate them. They never told us we were ethnically inferior or superior. I was raised believing we were all equal human beings. We were Rwandans. I feel as if my childhood ended the night my mother told me that people wanted to kill us for being Tutsi. For the first time I had a sense of “other.” When the day began I innocently believed that I lived in a peaceful, secure world. There was no “us” and no “them,” only “we.” Now that had changed forever."

Joseph Sebarenzi

from God Sleeps in Rwanda

End of an Era

The gacaca courts, which have been hearing genocide cases since 2002, officially closed on Monday, June 18.

Due to the large number of perpetrators in the genocide, the jails in Rwanda had become horrifically overcrowded. In addition, the genocide nearly gutted the legal profession, leaving few trained lawyers and judges alive to prosecute genocide perpetrators. As a result, hearing the hundreds and thousands of cases in traditional courts was not going to be sufficient.

In an effort to create a more efficient legal process, the gacaca courts were established to hear the cases of those who were involved in the genocide but were not responsible for planning it. (The trials of the genocide “masterminds” were reserved for the International Criminal Tribunal in Tanzania.) Gacaca was originally a traditional method of conflict resolution in which community members would come together within the village to discuss the issue. When it became apparent that the traditional courts were not sufficient for trying the backlog of cases in the wake of the genocide, these “community courts” were established so that the truth of the genocide could be known and reconciliation could begin to take place within the communities.

However, there have been very mixed feelings toward the gacaca courts. While some believe that it has brought closure to many of the victims regarding the manner of their family’s deaths, many humans rights groups claim that these courts did not allow for a fair trial. Because of its community-based nature, the gacaca judges and lawyers often had no legal training, and many victims who testified feared retaliatory attacks. With such mixed responses to the courts, it is likely to be some time before we see the full legacy of the gacaca courts on the healing and reconciliation process in Rwanda.

For more information about the closing of the gacaca courts, check out these news links:

BBC

AFP

CNN

Almost Here!

It’s been a busy day at PeaceTalks…with less than two months until we leave for Rwanda there’s a lot to do! Now that our plane tickets have arrived in the mail, it’s 100% official, and we are so excited. Plans are starting to fall into place and solidify, but there are certainly a lot of moving pieces to put into place yet.

We’ve also been overcome lately by the magnitude of what we’re taking on. It’s been a whirlwind of planning the past few weeks, and it’s easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. But lately we’ve been reminded of how traumatized the people and country of Rwanda still are, and we know that this will not be an easy trip. What an honor it will be, however, to share life with them for even a brief period of time and to hold their stories.

Unfortunately I don’t have much time to write today, but I wanted to check in and keep everyone posted! Stay tuned to learn more about another amazing organization doing some incredible work in Rwanda and how it brings Rwanda close to home for PeaceTalks…

"Historical Highlight": Ethnic Tensions

In our last installment of History Highlights, we explored the civil war in Rwanda that immediately preceded the genocide. But why did the civil war even start? Ethnic tensions have a long history in Rwanda and have had devastating effects long before the war and the genocide. Again, at the risk of being too simplistic, we’d like to offer a brief background of this part of Rwandan history.

Prior to European settlement in Rwanda, the Hutu and Tutsi lived largely at peace with one another. They shared language, religion, and culture, and there were few distinctions made between them. Over time, however, the Tutsi gained status and power over the Hutus in a feudal-type system known as ubuhake. Despite the slight power advantages, inclusion in a particular group was very fluid, and intermarriages were very common.

As Europeans began to settle in the region, though, the distance between the Hutus and Tustis grew as the Europeans emphasized race and created largely arbitrary racial distinctions between the two groups. Throughout the 1950s, the Belgians increasingly gave the Tutsi minority political power because they believed them to be more “European” than the Hutus. After years of growing unrest, the Hutu majority revolted in 1959. Thousands of Tutsis fled the country, and after Rwanda gained independence in 1962, the Hutu party was elected to lead the country. In the decades following, there were several attempts by Tutsis in exile to overthrow the Hutu government, as well as coups by Hutus to overthrow the president in 1973. It was during these decades that a pro-Hutu ideology took hold, and in 1990 the Tutsi exiles organized into the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and invaded the country.

Although this certainly is a broad sweep over a large period of time, it is still clear that the Hutus and Tutsis have a long history together and tensions between them began years before the civil war began. In our next segments, we will begin to look at some of the key players in the civil war and genocide…be sure to check back soon!


For more detailed historical accounts, visit the Department of State website or UPenn's East Africa Living Encyclopedia.

Honoring Life

Here at PeaceTalks we are committed to finding unique and creative ways that people are working towards reconciliation. The Book of Life, started by Odile Katese, is one example of the creative healing processes being taken up in Rwanda.

Although Ms. Katese was in exile at the time of the genocide, the pain and trauma from the genocide was still very evident upon her return. A truth commission had been established and a number of memorials to the victims had been erected, but it was clear that the survivors still needed a way to connect with their loved ones and honor their lives. The Book of Life was born out of this need. In 2009, she began a collection of letters written by orphans, widows, and perpetrators of the genocide to their loved ones who were killed. By remembering the lives of the victims and not just their deaths, this project seeks to help put a “human face” to the genocide anniversary commemorations each year.[1]

In addition to collecting letters from those within Rwanda, Ms. Katese plans to collect 100 letters from 100 countries around the world, each addressed to a victim of the genocide. These letters will be compiled into a book that is due to be released in 2014, which will mark the 20^th anniversary of the genocide. They will also be recorded and aired on local, national, and international radio broadcasts throughout the 100 days of the genocide in commemoration.

This project is truly a unique one that is seeking to help heal the deep wounds still present in Rwanda. We are so excited about the work Ms. Katese is doing and look forward to seeing how this project grows and impacts the people of Rwanda!

For more information about The Book of Life, visit Rwanda Professional Dreamers.

---

[1] http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41754&Cr=rwanda&Cr1=

In Their Own Words

“Reconciliation brings enemies together to confront the painful and ugly past, and to collectively devise a bright future. It brings together communities in conflict to tell the truth about all past human rights violations and to create a society where they can live in peace with one another. It requires coming together and listening with compassion to one another’s stories – something that is desperately needed in Rwanda, where the lives of Hutu and Tutsi are so intimately bound together.”

Joseph Sebarenzi

from God Sleeps in Rwanda

Rwanda Remembers

Today marks the 18^th anniversary of the beginning of the Rwandan genocide. For 100 days, Tutsis and moderate Hutus were systematically murdered, beginning in Kigali and spreading throughout the entire country. Despite nearly two decades of reconciliation work from the grassroots level and government statements that the nation is “reconciled,” there are still deep wounds from this atrocity. Our hearts are with the people of Rwanda today as they commemorate this important anniversary.

 Photo credit: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1288230.stm

"History Highlight": Civil War, 1990-1994

We’ve had ongoing discussions here at Peacetalks over the past few weeks about the very complicated history of Rwanda. In trying to understand the genocide, it has become clear that there is a very long and complicated history involving the Hutus and Tutsis. At the risk of being too simplistic, we will begin a series in our blog called “History Highlights” in which we will dive a little deeper into the history of the conflict, not just during the genocide but also before and after 1994.

Although there is much history behind ethnic tensions in Rwanda, the most immediate cause of the genocide was the civil war in Rwanda that began in 1990. A group of Tutsis who had been exiled from Rwanda between the 1960s and 1980s formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in 1986. In October 1990, the RPF invaded Rwanda to try to gain control from the Hutu government. Although ceasefires were signed several times, the Rwandan military continued to train troops, and in 1993 the RPF launched a new series of attacks.

Rwandan Patriotic Front

Photo credit: BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/660000/images/_664863_rpf300.jpg)

In August 1993, President Juvenal Habyarimana and the RPF sign a peace accord that would allow for a power-sharing government model. However, by March 1994, the incumbent government had been stalling on the implementation of the agreement. In addition, the Rwandan radio station RTLM (Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines), which was established in July 1993, began broadcasting increasingly hateful propaganda against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

On April 6, 1994, the plane carrying President Habyarimana and the president of Burundi was shot down over Kigali. Although it is not clear who is responsible for shooting down the plane, this is considered the start of the genocide. Once the death of the president was announced, the RPF launched new attacks and extremist Hutus began systematically killing Tutsis and moderate Hutus. 

President Juvenal Habyarimana

Photo credit: The Hague Justice Portal (http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/index.php?id=109220

In the coming weeks, we will have additional posts about Rwanda’s history, including more about the history of ethnic tensions, the RPF, and the role of the media in inciting the genocide. We will also explore efforts at reconciliation after the genocide, such as the International Criminal Tribunal and a number of other government initiatives. Stay tuned for more information, and feel free to contact us if there are any aspects of Rwanda’s history you’d like us to explore with you!

Bringing Hope: Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC)

As we are planning our trip to Rwanda, we are working very closely with Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities (HROC). HROC (pronounce HE-rock) is a program of the African Great Lakes Initiative, whose mission is to “strengthen, support, and promote peace activities at the grassroots level in the Great Lakes region of Africa (Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda)."

The HROC program is designed to build trust and promote reconciliation in post-conflict communities in East Africa. While the program has been implemented in several parts of the region, we will be focusing on the HROC workshops occurring in the Lake Kivu region of Rwanda, near the city of Gisenyi. What is remarkable about this program (and one of the many reasons we are so excited to work with them) is that it brings together people from both parts of the community, so that Tutsis and Hutus are working through this process together, rather than working toward healing in only one part of the community.

The HROC workshop is separated into three phases. First, a “Sense of Safety” is created for the participants to help build trust and a willingness to share. This is a critical part of the workshop, especially when one considers the fact that there are perpetrators and survivors in the same room. After this, participants move into a stage of “Remembrance and Mourning,” in which they have the opportunity to talk through their trauma of the genocide and their grief. Not only does this portion of the workshop allow participants to walk through their pain and begin to experience healing on an individual level, but it also enables them to hear the pain that everyone involved (both Tutsi and Hutu) has experienced as a result of the genocide. Once the group has completed the process of remembering and mourning, they move to the “Reconnection” stage. This portion of the workshop helps to bring closure and remind the participants that they are not alone in their grief. After completing the workshop, some participants choose to receive additional training to become peer counselors to continue to help others walk through their grief. 

As part of our preparation for our work in Rwanda, we had the opportunity to join a HROC training workshop in our area in January. It was truly an emotional weekend, as each of us was encouraged to walk through our own trauma and grief. It certainly deepened my own understanding of what trauma is and the effects it has on both individuals and communities. We are privileged to continue working with HROC and will be joining a HROC workshop while in Rwanda. After experiencing HROC here in the United States, we are eager to participate in this healing and reconciliation process alongside Rwandans.

Wondering what HROC looks like in practice? You can click here to view a video clip on YouTube about the HROC workshop.

We’re Going to Africa!

That’s right…Peacetalks has a new project in the works, and we’re traveling to Rwanda this summer!

It’s been nearly 20 years since genocide gripped the country of Rwanda and claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people in just 3 short months. This genocide, following four years of civil war in Rwanda, highlighted the already deep ethnic tensions between the Hutus and Tutsis in the region. Although there had been ethnic tensions for years, the genocide began after the plane transporting the president of Rwanda, Juvenal Habyarimana (a Hutu), was shot down on April 6, 1994. Immediately following, Hutu rebel groups began to systematically kill Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Roadblocks were set up to prevent people from fleeing, and many perpetrators were direct participants in the slaughter of their long-time neighbors.

So how does a community move forward from here?

As I’ve been doing some background research to prepare for our trip, it has been encouraging to find so many healing and reconciliation organizations currently operating in Rwanda. In addition to government initiatives, there are a variety of grassroots organizations who are using art, sports, counseling, and peace education to help the citizens of Rwanda reconcile with one another in effort to move beyond the trauma of the genocide. These organizations have been instrumental in helping friends, neighbors, and communities reconcile and rebuild the country.

We are so excited to have the opportunity to travel to Rwanda and meet with individuals from some of these organizations. As with other Peacetalks projects, we will be recording the stories of those we meet and learning about their efforts toward helping their communities heal and reconcile. To hear one’s story is truly a gift in any situation, but we recognize how special these gifts will be given the context and what the people of Rwanda have endured.

We look forward to having you walk alongside us as we make this journey. Be sure to stay posted for updates!

For more information about our project and partners, visit:

          Peacetalks – http://www.peacetalksonline.org/

          The Peace Center - http://www.thepeacecenter.org/
          Healing and Rebuilding our Communities – http://aglifpt.org/Program/hroc.htm