Peace and Justice: From Genocide to Reconciliation in Rwanda!

Peace and Justice: From Genocide to Reconciliation in Rwanda!

A lecture by Julia Viebach will take place on June 25, 2025 at 7:15 p.m. in the lecture hall of the IMGWF/ZKFL in Lübeck. The theme of the event is: “Judging the Past: A Postcolonial Examination of Local Gacaca Courts in Rwanda.” The event is part of the Studium Generale "Peace in Theory? Perspectives from Philosophy and Science" and illuminates the conditions and structures of peace in the present. The event is organized by Prof. Dr. Christina Schües, Prof. Dr. Cornelius Borck, Prof. Dr. Christoph Rehmann-Sutter and Dr. Birgit Stammberger. Admission is free and registration is not required.

In the context of the lecture, the complex history of Rwanda unfolds, in particular the role of the Gacaca courts, which were created in response to the dark chapters of the past. These courts emerged after the 1994 genocide in which nearly a million people, mostly Tutsi, died. Over 130,000 prisoners were held in overcrowded prisons at the time, highlighting the need for an alternative judicial approach. Gacaca justice, derived from the Kinyarwanda word for “lawn” or “meadow,” was intended to help restore social peace and promote community trust.

The Gacaca Courts: A Mechanism of Reconciliation

Gacaca courts were established throughout Rwanda beginning in 2002 and staffed by lay judges, many of whom were Hutu. Its goal was to ensure the prosecution of all genocide suspects and to help society recover from the crimes of the past. In the Gacaca courtrooms held in local communities, perpetrators had the opportunity to incriminate themselves. Penalties varied and ranged from community service to 30 years in prison.

Of almost two million defendants, around 65 percent were convicted. However, critics, including human rights organizations, expressed concerns about compliance with international legal standards. Wrongful convictions and inadequate witness protection were identified as serious shortcomings of the Gacaca courts. Gerd Hankel, an expert in this field, highlights the difficulties caused by the long duration of the proceedings and the complex cases that hampered comprehensive reconciliation.

The role of gender and society

What is particularly notable is that 40 percent of Gacaca judges were women. Their engagement in the proceedings demonstrates the potential for inclusive justice needed to strengthen societal coherence. Phil Clark attests that the Gacaca tribunals gave people the opportunity to share their stories and thus contributed to political debate. Nevertheless, the question of the future impact of Gacaca justice on Rwandan society remains open.

The scientific discussion of these topics is supported by research projects such as the one at the University of Erfurt. This project aims to examine postcolonial hierarchies in current conflict dynamics and illuminate the implications for sustainable conflict transformation in the future. The integration of historical and postcolonial perspectives into peace and conflict research is of central importance. An interdisciplinary approach that includes sociology, cultural and literary studies as well as history should help to find new ways to deal with conflicts.

In summary, Julia Viebach's event as part of Studium Generale will help bring into focus the complex aspects of Gacaca justice and provide space for discussions about the challenges and opportunities of peace and reconciliation in a post-colonial world.