ABSTRACT
Reconciliation in divided societies, recovering from mass violence, is a challenging endeavor. Reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda is no exception, partially because of the brutality of both the 1994 genocide against Tutsi by Hutu extremists and the war crimes and crimes against humanity against Hutu by elements of the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). This chapter discusses two challenges to reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda. One challenge is a one-sided transitional justice, which held accountable Hutus for genocide but shielded Tutsis from accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The second challenge is a quasi-monopoly of power by Tutsis, according to which all strategic cabinet departments and all top defense and security services are headed by Tutsis. The chapter suggests a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) approach to remedy the one-sided transitional justice, and a consensus democracy model to ensure that all ethnic groups are meaningfully represented in all branches of the government, including in strategic cabinet departments and top defense and security services.
