Not only Rwandans can learn from this pair, but also the entire world

In a world torn by war and longstanding grievances, stories of forgiveness and reconciliation stand as rare beacons of hope. One such story, unfolding in Rwanda, reveals the transformative power of unity and reconciliation. François Nsengiyumva and Bénoit Muhirwa were once as close as brothers. But during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi people, Nsengiyumva brutally killed Muhirwa’s father and siblings, leaving behind an unbridgeable chasm of pain and betrayal. True forgiveness seemed impossible—until the intervention of Christian Action for Reconciliation and Social Assistance (CARSA), an organization committed to healing divisions through reconciliation, among others. This unimaginable transformation, with the two men now true friends calling each other brothers, embodies the power of restorative justice.

Beyond Rwanda, the world faces relentless cycles of conflict, from Afghanistan and the Central African Republic to Somalia and Yemen. Like Rwanda, several regions require not just relief but comprehensive peacebuilding interventions that address the deep-rooted ethnic, economic, and historical divides fueling these conflicts. Organizations like Concern Worldwide work tirelessly to alleviate poverty and support humanitarian needs in conflict zones. However, without an integrated approach that combines immediate aid with unity and reconciliation efforts, the path to sustainable peace remains elusive. Reconciliation’s role in rebuilding trust and fostering social cohesion is essential. Rwanda’s story of healing reminds that while war devastates lives, true peace is found in forgiveness, unity, and the hard work of reconciliation by organizations such as CARSA.

CARSA, a non-profit organization, was established to support Rwanda’s restoration and national growth. Since 2002, it says, it has changed numerous communities through trauma healing and reconciliation workshops, peace education, training in children’s ministry, and initiatives aimed at community empowerment.

Nsengiyumva and Muhirwa’s testimonies before Ruyanza School Complex’s students

Following the 1994 genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda, “the convicted offenders were imprisoned” CARSA has written on its website. Over time some were released to rejoin their communities, creating the necessity for unity and reconciliation. But, CARSA says“It has not been easy for the families of survivors and their offenders to reconcile and live in harmony.

This difficult reality is compounded by the genocide’s negative effects on the socio-economic status of the survivors, offenders and their direct families hardly socialize. CARSA works with genocide survivors and their direct offenders, accompanying them on their journeys of forgiveness, reconciliation, and holistic development.”

The above message is reflected in the pair’s testimonies. The testimonies are being given in a peace conference organized by CARSA at Ruyanza School Complex in Nyarubaka Sector, Kamonyi District in Rwanda’s South on 28^th October 2024.

This peace conference brings together 752 students, 355 boys and 397 girls besides the school’s staff, and some of CARSA’s personnel among others. CARSA holds peace conferences in Kamonyi and Muhanga Districts as its program’s geographical scope since its inception. These events started around 2015. They are designed to educate youth (30 years downward), in efforts for genocide to never happen again under the “Never Again” slogan. This organization says that it has decided to remain in these two districts only, despite other districts asking it to intervene in their territories, because it has refused to scatter its efforts.

Nsengiyumva’s testimony before the students

I’ve perpetrated genocide, I have killed but I have been transformed, so do not fear. Before the genocide, I and he were brothers and traded together and shared beer [even today sharing beer in Rwanda constitutes a strong sign of closeness], we shared everything. But in the genocide I became an enemy, killing his family members. The then leadership encouraged us to kill Tutsi people, telling us that every Tutsi was an enemy. We spent daytimes, hunting them everywhere and at their homes. We found his father at home and murdered him. If we had encountered Muhirwa at home, we could have also slain him.

However, this has not been fortunate for us too. The leaders who had abetted us fled, [leaving us alone in trouble]. When the genocide was stopped, he (Muhirwa) reported that I had committed genocide and I then spent 10 years in Muhanga (district) prison. In prison, I never thought that I would return home. During the Gacaca Courts, we confessed to the crime and asked those against whom we had perpetrated crimes in particular and the country in general for pardon. As a result, we were freed but mutual distrust persisted. I never passed through a place where I could meet him. For example, if I saw him coming from a given place, I immediately took an opposite direction for me to avoid encountering him.

At the beginning, we didn’t believe that it could be possible for us to be sincerely pardoned. CARSA came and talked to me about it, but I initially thought that it was a pure lie. Yet CARSA arranged for me to meet with this brother; I now call him my brother. For the first time, CARSA nourished us at one table. But to be frank, if CARSA had first informed me that I was going to meet him, I wouldn’t have consented to come. CARSA then allowed us to talk to each other; afterwards, it provided us with a cow. I and he maintained the cow jointly. Our children have also become one. The genocide occurred while I was aged 32.  When I was jailed, my then 7-year child labored to bring me food in the prison. However, I also now rejoice that my children have studied to the level of university, despite my involvement in the genocide.

The cow that he has just mentioned falls into CARSA’s Cow for Peace project. This organization specifies that it has provided more than 600 cows so far.  It says “Our Cow for Peace project has distributed 390 cows to be shared by a genocide survivor and offender. When the cow the pair has raised together [at] the survivor’s home grows up and produces a calf, [the latter one is] instantly provided to the direct offender’s family.

Over 250 calves have been given to the perpetrators’ families. In total, CARSA has provided needy, healing families with over 600 cows to both survivors of genocide and offenders.

The Cow for Peace digs beyond the surface of forgiveness and reconciliation, tackling trust issues to restore the dignity of individuals who have been hurt of impoverished by the conflict. When these people raise a cow together and share both the produce and the care responsibilities, they learn how to live together again to provide for both their families. They are no longer afraid of each other. At CARSA, It is not forgive and leave, it is forgive and live together.”

Muhirwa’s testimony

I stand before you to tell you history that I have experienced. You (the students listening attentively) are told the history, and sometimes those who recount it to you distort it. Before the genocide, Rwandans were characterized by three pacts of friendship: baptism, a cow and marriage. Hutus and Tutsis exchanged brides, gave cows to one another, and Hutus chose godparents for their children and vice versa.

At school where I learnt, we were only two Tutsi people — me and another girl. At school, they used to say “Let the Hutus stand up and let the Tutsis stand up.’ Since we were very few, when we stood up, all the children in a classroom looked at us, so that they even stigmatized us at recreation time.

We are now on the journey of building and you can’t build while there is one category of people with whom you aren’t together. As he has said, my father was killed but he wasn’t the only one murdered. My three young siblings also died in the genocide. I was born with nine children but one died naturally. The genocide took place while we were eight children; we survived as five out of eight ones.  

In our locality, genocide perpetrators first killed men, sparing women. They killed my father in the sight of my mother whom they didn’t then touch. But this sparing of women was eventually reversed, ordering that women should also be killed. Therefore, we and our mother fled to Kabgayi in May 1994 in a place named Kamazuru specifically in a company ‘TRAFIPRO’ the latter one was like a cooperative. Inkotanyi military personnel rescued us on 2^nd June 1994, finding us there. My mother died of natural causes last year.

Can a person kill your parent and then sit with you? We have groups in our communities where working in pairs, we work industriously to strengthen unity and reconciliation, not neglecting the struggle for economic development. We are determined to leave you in a division-free country, especially since we are advancing toward the end of our life.”

The pairs are those of genocide survivors and perpetrators, meaning that every pair consists necessarily of a genocide survivor and a genocide perpetrator. In the aspect of economic development, CARSA also conducts training on agriculture, saving and credit management for its beneficiaries, so as to ensure their financial stability.

As illustrated by the photo, these students have been furnished with room to ask questions as customary in CARSA’s peace conferences. CARSA’s Executive Director, Christophe Mbonyingabo,  and Epiphanie Mukagihana—Kamonyi District’s Itorero and Community Mobilization Officer, have spoken in this event.

Itorero can be translated as the National Civic Education Training Program.These officials have articulated great messages. Besides, Elisabeth Hagenimana born to a Hutu father who has perpetrated genocide and her genocide survivor mother also has just shared an extremely compelling testimony. We have decided to focus on the students’ questions and their responses from the officials and Hagenimana’s testimony in our next articles.

Some countries around the world where such initiatives can be needed

While CARSA’s initiatives on unity and reconciliation are commendable in Rwanda particularly in Kamonyi and Muhanga, they must be viewed within the larger framework of global conflicts. Various countries are currently experiencing turmoil, with Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Chad, the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen being among those most affected.

Countries facing conflict or its aftermath often need unity and reconciliation interventions alongside various humanitarian efforts. While interventions in livelihoods, health, education, emergencies, gender equality, and climate are vital for immediate relief and recovery, they are significantly enhanced through unity and reconciliation efforts.

Conflict frequently stems from deep-rooted issues such as ethnic divisions, economic disparities, and historical unresolved grievances. Unity and reconciliation are thus essential for addressing these underlying causes.

Reconciliation processes help to rebuild trust among communities, promote social cohesion, and create an environment conducive to sustainable development. As a result, unity and reconciliation initiatives ought to be integrated into other interventions. By ensuring a comprehensive approach that includes unity and reconciliation, people can better address both immediate needs and long-term peacebuilding efforts.

Concern Worldwide, an international non-governmental organization, works to alleviate poverty and address humanitarian crises. In its 11 August 2024 story headlined “13 countries in conflict where Concern is responding”, it states “Conflict is one of the leading causes of hunger and poverty. It’s also one of the biggest challenges Concern faces in many of the countries where we work.”

The areas of education, health, emergencies, gender equality, and climate often involve tangible or physical elements. With analysis of Concern’s story and its areas of intervention, it appears that this organization’s work may not encompass unity and reconciliation efforts. Concern’s primary intervention areas include Livelihoods, Health and Nutrition, Education, Emergencies, Gender Equality, and Climate and Environment.

While the probable absence of unity and reconciliation interventions does not imply a shortcoming on Concern’s part, it does raise important questions about the need for more holistic approaches. The potential absence of the intervention doesn’t constitute Concern’s fault, since no organization can be expected to cover all aspects of development work. It elicits questions, because as already explained, humanitarian and development initiatives should be buttressed by peace-building programs; which means that their absence certainly signifies a problem.

While peace-building yields tangible outcomes, such as improved community relations or reduced violence, the processes involved are often less visible and harder to measure compared to physical interventions. This can cause peace-building programs to be undervalued or overlooked in broader development efforts.

However, both types of work are crucial for holistic development and interlinked. For instance, education can promote peace by fostering understanding and tolerance among different groups, thereby addressing not only immediate needs but also the underlying causes of conflict.

A few examples from Concern’s report highlight the urgent need for unity and reconciliation interventions in countries grappling with conflict or experiencing its aftermath.

1. Afghanistan: “Despite development advances in recent years, Afghanistan remains in an extremely fragile state following nearly four decades of instability. Violence continues to undermine the country’s development, with almost two-thirds of the Afghan population living in areas directly affected by conflict.

Between 2009 and 2022, the Council on Foreign Relations estimates that there were 111,000 civilian casualties in Afghanistan. Before the US military withdrew from the country in 2021, over 18 million people required humanitarian assistance — including over 3 million children. This was double the number of people who required assistance compared to January, 2020. Today, the UN estimates that 23.7 million people require humanitarian assistance.”

2. Central African Republic: “What began in 2012 as a paramilitary insurgency has resulted in heightened ethnic and religious tensions, combined with a weakened infrastructure and social support system.

The Central African Republic borders both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan (more on each country below), which means that, as the situation continues to deteriorate in-country, the ramifications of conflict spill out into neighbouring countries, exacerbating their own conflicts and leaving an entire region in dire straits and 2.8 million people requiring humanitarian assistance.”

3. Somalia: “The beginning of the ongoing Somali Civil War is a subject of debate. Many organisations (including the UN) say it was 1991. Other experts argue that it started as many as 10 years earlier. This gives you an idea of how long the country has faced violence and insecurity, regardless of how it’s been labelled. Despite a number of ongoing crises in Somalia, the violence and brutality of conflict is the crisis that arches over all the others.”

Concern Somalia’s country director, Abdi Rashid Haji-Nur, points out “Operationally, it is difficult for national and international humanitarian agencies to deliver services to people in the different parts of the country. As long as there is absence of efforts to contain and to deescalate those tensions and conflicts, we will be having challenges in terms of having access.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the journey towards reconciliation is not only a pivotal step for those directly involved but also holds profound implications for future generations. By examining comparative stories from other conflict zones, we can underscore the universal significance of these reconciliation efforts, illustrating that healing and understanding can triumph over division and discord. As we continue to explore these themes, we will regularly return to these critical points, examining their resonance across various contexts and their potential to shape a more harmonious future. Together, let us remain committed to nurturing these discussions, as they are essential not only for healing today but for building a legacy of peace for tomorrow.