Rebuilding Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda (Image by Nina R via Flickr)
Close to one million people were killed during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. When the genocide ended, all Rwandans worked together rebuild their country. But how could the Tutsi (the victims or targets of the genocide) begin to trust their former perpetrators? And what was to be done with the 120,000 alleged genocide perpetrators who were overwhelming the country’s prison system?
The process of rebuilding after widespread human right abuses is often referred to as transitional justice. In the wake of the genocide, Rwandans embarked on their own transitional justice process. In this lesson, students will learn about the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the ongoing process of transitional justice in the small African nation.
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
What factors led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda?
What challenges might a society face in the aftermath of gross human rights violations or genocide?
What are some actions that a society can take to begin to repair itself after war or genocide?
How can societies hold people accountable after they have caused harm?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Understand the basic history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
Identify the United Nations’ four pillars of transitional justice
Provide examples of the methods used by Rwanda’s government during the ongoing process of transitional justice