Questions

Q. Is the Rwandan genocide over?

A. Yes, the killings as such took place in April, May, June and July 1994. About one million
people died. Residual ethnic violence, mostly in the form of an insurgency continued on for
several years. Today Rwanda is at peace. Even so, several thousand Hutu militiamen, calling
themselves the FDLR (Force Democratique pour la liberation du Rwanda) remain at large in
the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Q.   Have those responsible for the genocide been tried?

A. There are essentially three venues where justice is being delivered. First is the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania. There about thirty-five of the
most prominent planners of genocide are being slowly tried. In Rwanda itself trials continue in
the regular courts for tens of thousands of persons implicated in heinous acts of genocide.
Additionally, another hundred thousand or so persons are/will face Gacaca courts on their
home hillsides. This method of delivering traditional justice has been modified to handle the
less severe genocide related cases. Combined the three methods of justice are effectively
holding those accused accountable for their crimes.

Q. How democratic is Rwanda today?

A. Rwanda has successfully held multi-party presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
Current President Paul Kagame, who was the military leader of the largely Tutsi Rwandan
Patriotic Army and former Vice President, was elected to a six year term in 2003. Even though
observers did not fault the electoral process, it is clear that power rests with the group that
vanquished the genocide. The challenge for Rwanda is to truly build a multi-ethnic,
multi-party democratic society out of the tragedy of genocide.

Q. Is reconciliation reality or a facade?

A.   Reconciliation after events as traumatic as genocide is indeed very difficult, both
individually and for the society as a whole. The delivery of justice to those guilty of the crime is
seen as a perquisite for healing on a national level. Even so, there are thousands of efforts,
some organized, some not, aimed at finding ways and mechanisms for people to come to
terms with their pasts, even as they move on with their lives.

Q. How are U.S. Rwandan relations?

A. Relations between our two nations are excellent. Through USAID and other programs the
U.S. is actively engaged in helping Rwanda develop economically as well as in combating
HIV/AIDS.

Q. What is Rwanda's regional role?

A.   Rwanda keeps a careful eye on developments in the neighboring Congo. It has welcomed
recent Congolese elections and has largely disengaged from cross border activities.
Elsewhere in the region several thousand Rwandan forces are critical to the international
effort to contain genocide and ethnic violence in Darfur, Sudan.