Since 2001, the gacaca community courts have been the centrepiece
of Rwanda’s justice and reconciliation process.
Nearly every adult Rwandan has
participated in the trials, but lawyers are banned from any official
involvement. Human
rights organisations fiercely
opposed the use of gacaca
for trying genocide cases, on the
grounds that it fell short of
international legal standards of
fairness. Much criticism reflects legal rigidity towards the unprecedented
challenges
confronting post-genocide Rwanda –
and a limited understanding of the aims of the community courts. Gacaca
was inevitably imperfect, but also
highly ambitious and innovative. While the full impact of the process will not
be
apparent for many years, gacaca has delivered benefits to Rwandans
in the spheres of justice, truth and democratic
participation. Other societies
confronting the aftermath of mass conflict could learn much from Rwanda’s
approach to
local justice.
But the Gacaca courts targeted Hutus communities. No members of Rwandan Patriotic Front was judged by the Gacaca courts.
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