Redefining Justice: Rwanda's development of Inkiko Gacaca -- a village-based community justice
Loading...
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2005
Type of Work
Department
Peace Studies
Program
Bachelor's Degree
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
Collection may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. To obtain information or permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Goucher Special Collections & Archives at 410-337-6347 or email archives@goucher.edu.
Abstract
In May 2003 I had the honor of traveling to Rwanda for a peace and justice training sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. That year marked the 10 year commemoration of the victims of the Genocide. I traveled not knowing what to expect from a country that had experienced one of the most tragic events in human history. The inescapable trauma of the genocide continues to haunt the minds and hearts of many people I talked with in Rwanda. As a woman of African descent this journey had a deep spiritual sense of homecoming. Living in Baltimore City, where crime and conflict are symptomatic of urban poverty, I always wondered in the back of my mind how people on the grassroots can resolve issues peacefully. After visiting Rwanda and witnessing peace building and reconciliation, I now know that alternative forms of justice and conflict resolution exist.