Gacaca spirit should continue

Gacaca courts closed yesterday after a successful decade of existence during which close to two million cases were tried. The country turned to the semi-traditional courts to help clear a backlog of Genocide related cases which would otherwise have taken the conventional judicial system hundreds of years.The Genocide against the Tutsi left behind a society deeply torn apart, with neighbours no longer seeing eye-to-eye and the country engulfed by suspicion and self-pity. Both survivors and Genocide perpetrators saw no hope for the future.The world had stood by as the Genocide took place, yet all eyes were on Rwanda with most observers concluding that the enormous challenges that faced the country meant that it was a new member of the “failed states” club.However, determined to find a way out and to help the nation back to its feet, the post-Genocide government was able to convince Rwandans that they did no favours to themselves by resigning to fate and not tackling the challenges head on.In 2002, after years of consultations, the Government launched Gacaca as a tool to help expedite reconciliatory and restorative justice, as well as establish the whole truth about the Genocide. Gacaca came under heavy criticism but Rwandans stayed the course.Ten years down the road, the courts have not only cleared a backlog of cases no conventional judicial system anywhere in the world could have handled, but also helped restore the Rwandan social fabric.The perpetrators and survivors are, once again, living side by side and working together to develop the country, with the focus now on sustainable development.Gacaca trials closed yesterday with a huge sense of pride and satisfaction among Rwandans. Measures have been taken to ensure that the unresolved issues, including compensation, are addressed accordingly.Gacaca may have closed, but the voluntary sprit, goodwill and determination that made Gacaca a huge success remains. This spirit should be replicated in other areas of national life for quicker development.

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Gacaca spirit should continue