The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) kicked off the unity and reconciliation week in Mwendo sector in Ruhango district last week.

It is the second consecutive year that the sector hosts the launch of the reconciliation week. According Dr. Jean Baptist Habyarimana, the executive secretary of NURC, this is because of the tremendous achievements made by Mwendo in terms of unity and reconciliation, which has allowed for increased socio-economic development.

“Mwendo has been exemplary in unity and reconciliation given what it had to endure,” Habyarimana said.

Mwendo has had to endure a lot indeed. It was one of the most affected areas during the 1994 genocide, and later became a hotbed for insurgents during the post genocide conflict, a situation that aggravated ethnic division between genocide survivors and families of perpetrators.

The situation during those days was tense. Both genocide survivors and families of perpetrators were wary of each other. According to testimonies of residents, the rift between the two sides was wide. No one wanted to talk to the other, let alone live closer to the other.

“It was a complicated situation, there was no trust among the community,” said Annociata Mukashyaka, one of the residents.

When NURC was established in 1999, Mwendo was one of the areas that it concentrated on. This is shown by testimonies from Mwendo residents who lauded Fatuma Ndagiza, the former NURC executive secretary, for her efforts in setting up unity and reconciliation clubs in the sector.

“She made some of us learn to forgive, speak the truth and slowly we began to have the confidence to talk about what happened,” explained Jeanine Mukashema, who live in Gafunzo cell.

She added that the unity and reconciliation clubs were vital in bringing people to talk about what happened, and encouraged those who had a hand in the genocide to speak the truth and those who were wronged to forgive.

Today, Mwendo is winding up its Gacaca court cases. According to Valence Hakizimana, the executive secretary of the sector, 77cases in the first category of genocide crimes have been completed.  In the second category, all the 1677 trials are finished whereas 1026 out of 4929 third category cases remain to be examined – mainly concerning restitution or repayment of property.

As a result, Gacaca judges from Mwendo sector are now assisting neighboring sectors such as Byimana to complete their cases. This is necessary since the unity and reconciliation week is supposed to mark the completion of the Gacaca program.   

Geranium processing plant

However, unity and reconciliation does not happen in a void, and its success in Mwendo was for a big part due to the fact that the program was intertwined with a development strategy. People were brought together in cooperatives and associations which aimed at improving their livelihoods. It is here that they could get the opportunity to talk about unity and reconciliation.

“It is impossible to preach the message of unity and reconciliation to people when they are still living in sheer poverty,” NURC boss Habyarimana pointed out.

As a result, Mwendo is today also an example of socio-economic development; soon, a geranium processing plant to produce perfume will be completed, as well as a rice mill.

On top of that the sector has embarked on a program to help the destitute by providing farm land, goats and basic amenities.

On the national level, the NURC has achieved tremendous success. As Habyarimana puts it, “currently the success of unity and reconciliation can be measured at 90%”.

Obviously, some challenges still need to be addressed. For example, some people are still reluctant to tell the truth about what happened, or they only tell part of it. Others still hold grudges, instead of embracing forgiveness which would help achieve unity and reconciliation.

Another challenge consists of genocide perpetrators who have been pardoned and reintegrated into the community. Some of them have been involved in cases of killing genocide witnesses to hide evidence implicating them and their family members.    

“We have to keep on educating people on the importance of reconciling with each other,” Habyarimana said, adding that more effort was still required if unity and reconciliation among Rwandans is to be fully achieved.

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