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
Healing and Rebuilding our Communities – http://aglifpt.org/Program/hroc.htm
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