"Travels in a Beautiful World": Reflections on Youth in Conflict

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Rwanda - The Land of a Thousand Hills

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In April 1994, President Habyarimana's plane was shot down as it approached Kigali International Airport. This marked the start of one of the worst genocide's in recent memory.

The conflict related to long-standing inter-ethnic issues between the country's predominantly Hutu population and its minority Tutsi community. It is often felt that what took place in 1994 had far more to do with the desperation of the then leadership than it did with 'hate' within the population.

Those three months in 1994 saw over 800,000, predominantly Tutsi, killed. No-one was spared, neither men, women nor children. The perpetrators ranged from military officers to farmers. All were killed and all participated. This perhaps differentiates this genocide from others such as the Holocaust. It was carried out not using gas chambers, but by machetes. It did not involve just a few, the whole nation was thrown into chaos. Furthermore, it did not take years, it took weeks.

The genocide was finally stopped when the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) marched into Kigali and overthrew the previous Government. The Tutsi led RPF firmly put a stop to the genocide. However, some reprisals took place and many Hutu's lost their lives, most notably in and around the Kibeho refugee camp.

It has been ten years since the genocide first started. The situation in Rwanda now is very different. Racial divides are far less obvious. There is a sense of unity being created.

In 2003, Rwanda completed its first elections since the 1994 genocide, with Major-General Paul Kagame being elected as Rwandan President. Multi-party democracy is slowly taking hold of Rwanda and Rwandans are warming to the idea; albeit cautiously.

Young people have found themselves having to recover from a genocide they were too young to have any part in, but the effects of which affect their everyday lives. They must forge links with all sections of the community; continue the education which they for so many years had to abruptly end; they must also try to rebuild a society, many of them without their parents, siblings and friends.

There is no question that life is tough in Rwanda. Its economy depends upon its coffee and tea exports. There are not enough non-agricultural jobs to sustain the Rwandan population. Furthermore, Rwanda is surrounded by neighbours who have all been involved in long-standing internal disputes.

The future is not straightforward for young Rwandans. Yet there is hope. Young people are both positive and certain that if they work hard not their future can be bright.

In October 2003, Travels in a Beautiful World spoke to numerous young people in Rwanda. It spoke to young refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. We also spoke to leading NGO's in Rwanda, such as the UNHCR, Human Rights Watch, Trocaire, the Rwandan Women's Network and the International Committee for the Red Cross. And we spoke to Rwandans who are working with young people.

Everyone had something to say about the future of Rwandan youth.

Read a summary of our findings...