ABSTRACT
Sharing thus serves as an important indicator of post-genocide unity and reconciliation. According to Emmanuel Nshimyimana, former Gacaca and Kigali Genocide Memorial staff member, sharing was the basis of pre-genocide Rwandan culture. He blamed the government for introducing hatred and suspicion into rural communities that, prior to the genocide, had shared everything regardless of ethnicity. Like Emmanuel Nshimyimana, some women perpetrators blamed the government for inciting hatred and dividing previously united communities. The prevalence of theft during the genocide indicates the complete perversion of the previous norm of sharing. Some women rescuers experienced vulnerability and insecurity as a result of their actions during the genocide; others noted that their neighbours refused to share with them because of their rescue initiatives. In addition, survivors focused less on inter-ethnic sharing and more on sharing among themselves. While the repeated references to sharing among women perpetrators are promising, it remains unclear whether that sharing is voluntary or the product of coercive measures.
