NON-STATE ACTORS AND PEACEBUILDING IN POST-GENOCIDE SOCIETIES: LESSONS FROM RWANDA

Abstract

In the year 1994, Rwanda witnessed one of the most brutal episodes of ethnic violence in human history. Interestingly, in the years following the genocide the nation ushered in peace through efforts by political and non-political agencies, founded on the principles of reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. The Rwandan peace- building model presents a unique case as non-state actors, and non-conventional approaches were employed for ensuring justice and peace in a post-genocide scenario. The localised efforts were focused on the deliverance of peace and ’restorative justice’, to build the foundations for long-lasting peace and stability. The paper aims to evaluate the role of international, governmental and grassroots level agencies in delivering justice in the post-genocide phase of Rwanda. This paper also aims to examine the role of local actors in peace building and to evaluate the level of its effectiveness in Rwanda.