rwanda after genocide the generation post primary … · post primary school teachers’ resource...

Trócaire LentenCampaign 2004

THE GENERATIONAFTER GENOCIDERWANDA Post Primary School Teachers’ Resource

Religious Education and CSPE/Citizenship Education

From a Past of Pain to a Future of Hope

R6781 PPrimary Resource Corrs 20/1/04 10:49 am

2 Lenten Campaign 2004

Easter is central to all that it means to be aChristian. It is therefore Christianity’s most ancientand important yearly feast. By the 3rd century a

preparatory season of forty days - Lent - was joined tothis holy time. It was designed to help people preparefor the celebration of Easter by asking them to reflecton their lives and make practical changes to the waythat they live. ‘What a Christian should be doing at alltimes should be done now with greater care anddevotion,” Pope St. Leo told Christians of the 6thcentury beginning their Lenten observance.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Lenten seasonfrom Ash Wednesday to the Mass of Holy Thursday. Itis a time when we are asked to focus on the prioritiesof life and to give special thought to repentance and tothings that really matter.

This Lenten call asks us to reflect deeply upon our ownlives and also to live in solidarity with those who arepoor and exploited. This action for justice from a baseof reflection remains a central part of the Lentenseason and a core element of the life of a Christian.

This Lent, our action for justice particularly focuses onRwanda ten years after the genocide and the growingsigns of hope that Trócaire sees in the communitieswhere we work. The description of Lent 2004 asfocussing on ‘ The Generation after Genocide’ asks usall to remember the tragedy of what happened in 1994,the issues of today that are only too related to thatterrible time, and the hope of a new future for thepeople of this small country.

The Rwandan genocide began during the first week ofApril, 1994. During the period known as the 100-daymassacre, it is estimated that 1 million people werekilled. In this time men, women and children were bothvictims and perpetrators of the violence. Many werealso left for dead with terrible injuries and vastnumbers fled the country. Unrest and chaos alsospread to neighbouring countries such as theDemocratic Republic of the Congo where war anddeath continue to be a daily burden for many people.Ten years on, the Great Lakes Region is working toemerge from the chaos and build a cohesive society.

This year, we invite students into solidarity with thepeople of Rwanda to mark the tenth anniversary of thegenocide. During the first week of April we might prayfor all who have been affected. This week is Holy Weekand we hope that by providing this resource, studentswill find it helpful in relating the work of Trócaire to theobservances of Lent; fasting, prayer and acts of serviceto the community, and the social teaching of thechurch.

This Lent marks the end of Trócaire’s thirtiethanniversary year, an anniversary which has highlighted

Lent 2004the acts of solidarity andlove shown continuously bythe people of Ireland to ourbrothers and sisters in the manycountries where Trócaire works.Through financial support,raising awareness about thecauses of poverty and tirelesscampaigning over the years, wehave worked together for a fairerworld where the dignity of allpeople can be achieved.

Without your support, none ofthis work could have happened.

Lent 2004

Focus of thisResource.This resource is designed forclass use in a number ofcurriculum areas both in theRepublic of Ireland and inNorthern Ireland. It comeswith a free CD Rom, whichcontains photographs andimages for use in theclassroom. (See Pg. 15 forfurther details).

It engages students with theimpact of conflict, throughthe lens of Rwanda. Itparticularly focuses on theaftermath of the genocide of1994.

This resource examinesthree casualties of theconflict in Rwanda;Childhood, Development andPeace of Mind. It also looks at the wayspeople strive towardsReconciliation and Peace.

Our campaign for theachievement of theMillennium DevelopmentGoals offers a realopportunity to work togetherto create a brighter futureand a world free fromconflict and poverty so thatatrocities such as thegenocide in Rwanda will trulybe a thing of the past. 1

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contentsHistory andCountry Profile

Casualties ofConflict:Childhood

Casualties ofConflict:Development

Casualties ofConflict: Peace ofMind

TowardsReconciliation

Campaigning fora Better Future

Prayer Serviceon Peace andReconciliation

CD-Rominformation


• In 100 days,approximately 1million Tutsis andHutu moderateswho opposed thegenocide weremassacred.

• Three quarters ofthe Tutsi populationwere killed and,following the genocide,many thousands ofHutu died as a result of Tutsi reaction to thegenocide, mainly as a result of actions by troopscoming from Uganda.

•Many share responsibility for the genocide: those who planned and designed the mass murder; those whotook part and those who knew it would happen and didnothing to prevent it.

• Belgium, France, the USA and the United Nationssuspected the genocide was being planned. Monthsbefore it occurred the UN Commander in Rwandawarned of this. Nothing was done to prevent it.The UN pulled out and 1 million died as a result.

Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in Africa; it is also the most densely populated. Covering an area of only 26,338 sq km (one third the size of Ireland) and it has a populationof over 8 million!

With green slopes enfolding much of the country, it is often referredto as the ‘Land Of A Thousand Hills’ but with such a huge populationto support almost every available inch of land is inhabited andcultivated. Such a beautiful country has however become synonymous with the 1994 Genocide, in whichapproximately 1 million people lost their lives in a period of just 100 days.

A Rwandan Journey

• Rwanda is made up of 3 ethnic groups. The Huturepresent (85%), the Tutsi (14%) and the indigenousTwa (less than 1%). There has been a long history ofethnic tension between these groups.

• Before being colonised by Belgium, the Tutsi cattlelords governed over a feudal-like system with theHutu farmers tending the land and growing foodcrops.

• The Belgians strengthened the rivalry by educatingthe Tutsi and giving them positions of authority.

• In 1959 the Hutus rebelled, took power and theBelgians withdrew. A one party state wasestablished and years of tension were to follow.

• From 1990-93 an armed invasion by Rwandan Tutsirefugees in Uganda, demanding a homeland withinRwanda led to the taking over of the northern part ofthe country and further increase in tensions.

• Cease fire talks were in progress when on the 6th

April 1994 the Rwandan President was assassinated.

• This sparked off a wave of massacres, which hadbeen planned in the previous months by thePresident and the elite around him who realised thatthey were losing power.

• The mass killings were carried out by Hutu deathsquads and were aimed at anyone seen as a threatto the Hutu regime.

3Lenten Campaign 2004

Life expectancy: 41 years.School enrolment: Primary: 66%Secondary: 10% GNP per capita: $943(Ireland : $18,710) Poverty ranking:164th poorestcountry in theworld

Size: 26, 338 sq.km. (approx. the size of Munster)Population: 8.4 millionCapital: KigaliCurrency: Rwandan FrancEthnic groups: Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa lessthan1 % Religion: Catholic: 50%, Traditional Africanreligion: 20%, Protestant: 20%, Muslim:10%Languages: Kinyarwanda, English, French.

Facts on Rwanda

What is meant by Genocide?

Genocide is a word that has becomeassociated with Rwanda since 1994,

when the country exploded info afury of ethnic hatred and killing.It is basically defined as – ‘Theattempt to destroy, in whole or

in part, a national, ethnic, racial and/or religious group’.

RWANDA

When evil doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out ‘stop!’When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible.When sufferings become unbearable the cries are no longerheard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer.

-Bertolt Brecht-


Aim of Lesson The stories of Josienne and John below, will allow your students toexplore the real consequences of conflict for many children inRwanda. Encourage your students to read the stories of theseRwandan teenagers and discover how conflict in their country hasaffected their lives.

Time 40 Minutes

Preparation Use the timeline on the next page to find out how their own livescompare to that of Josienne’s and John’s. Encourage your students tothink about important events, past, present and future, their own life –family, school ,friends, plans.

Hello! I’m Josienne and I’m 13 years old. Iwas 3 when the genocide occurred so I don’tremember much. My Mum does though andI’ve heard many stories.

My Dad, two of my brothers and my sisterwere killed in a church in 1994. Theobald was11, Emmanuel 9 and Alice was only 7. MyMum doesn’t know exactly what happened tothem. It was chaotic at the time.

For a few months after the genocide we had tohide in lots of different places. We weren’table to return to our home and spent sometime in a refugee camp. Sometimes we evenhad to be separated from our mum which wasvery frightening.

Life is definitely better now. Mum works for alocal village group who get support fromTrócaire. We have a home and a small piece ofland. We even have one cow and 7 goats!

My two brothers and I go to school everydayby foot. It takes a half-hour each way, but westill come home forlunch. I like schoolbut I find itdifficult.

Sometimes, I find ithard to concentrateand my reports arepoor. Mum alwaysencourages us andI am always tryingto do better.


CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: CHILDHOOD

Hi! My name is John. Iam 16 years old and livein the capital ofRwanda, Kigali. Duringthe genocide in Rwanda,my father was killed. Iwas only 6 years old.

My mother was leftalone to look after 6children. As she had noway of looking after usall, shortly after, I had toleave home to try to findwork. I ended up livingon the streets and havebeen here ever since.

The day begins for me at 5am when the marketopens. Potatoes, vegetables, chicken and lamb arriveand the traders need a hand to help unload all of thegoods. The baskets are very heavy and we are verytired and hungry by the time we have finished. Withthe little bit of money we earn, we buy some fruitand bread. I can also make some money washingpeoples’ cars.

The streets are a dangerous place to live. Somegangs sniff glue and take drugs and pick on thesmaller kids. Some even try to steal if they can. Thepolice sometimes hassle us too so it’s important forme and my friends to stick together.

At night it’s hard to sleep. As I lie on the ground inmy cardboard box, I often wonder how it might havebeen if there had never been a genocide, if my fatherhad never been killed.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS: Do you have much in common with John andJosienne? - If yes, what?- If no, why not?

How do the timelines compare?In what way has conflict affected John andJosienne’s lives?

Use the questions below to draw out how exactly conflict has deprived John and Josienne of a proper childhood(HINT: why not get the students to consult – www.trocairecspe.kerna.ie/rightsandresponsibilities/teacher.htm - for the Declaration of Human Rights before this exercise)

Even if they havenever seen a gun,

millions of childrensuffer from war. Worldwide in the

1990s, I millionchildren were

orphaned, 2 millionwere killed and over

6 million wereinjured.



CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: CHILDHOOD

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different views of whatdevelopment meanse.g. Rwanda andIreland?

3. How is developmenta casualty of conflict?– eg. If schools/homes/hospitals aredestroyed and people are killed…

One Possible Definition of Development

Development involves peopleworking together for the good oftheir own community. It is about

joint efforts to help people improvetheir lives, meet their basic needsand ensure their human dignity

in a spirit of solidarity.


Aim of Lesson To introduce and challenge the topic of development and more specifically, development in Rwanda

Time 40 Minutes

Preparation Students should have looked at the information on Rwanda from pages 2 & 3. For this activity copy and cut out the statements in the box below and provide eachgroup of four with a set of the statements.

ACTIVITYDivide the students into groups of four and distribute a set of statements to each group. Ask them to rank theten statements from one to ten with one being the most agreed with and so on. The statements could beplaced in a line from one to ten with the statement that is the best definition at the top and the statement theyleast agree with at the bottom.

CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: DEVELOPMENT

Ask students in their small groups to outline theirchoices to the whole class and bring together a classconsensus on the top three statements.

FOLLOW-ON ACTIVITYRead/Write up the definition of development.Compare the top three choices with this definition.

Questions:1. Are development and wealth the same thing?2. Would people in other parts of the world have

IS ABOUT EVERYONE HAVING WASHING MACHINES,CARS, TVS, ETC. �

MEANS EVERYONE HAS ACCESSTO EDUCATION, HEALTH CAREAND SOCIAL SERVICES. �

MEANS PEOPLE ARE NOT AFRAIDTO SPEAK OUT AND CAN HAVE ASAY IN THEIR OWN FUTURE. �

IS ABOUT POWER OF ALLSORTS BEING SHARED MOREEQUALLY AMONGST PEOPLE�

RESULTS FROM A GROWINGECONOMY AND THE WEALTH ANDJOBS THAT THIS PRODUCES �

IS ABOUT HAVING MODERN TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS, SUCH AS MOTORWAYS AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY�

IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THATABSOLUTE POVERTY AND HUNGERARE ELIMINATED �

IS ABOUT LOOKING AFTER THEENVIRONMENT AND PROTECTINGIT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS �

MEANS BEING ABLE TOLIVE IN PEACE

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MEANS HELPING PEOPLE TO OVERCOMETHE TRAUMAS THAT PREVENT THEMFROM GETTING ON WITH THEIR LIVES.�

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CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: DEVELOPMENTThe genocide in Rwanda began in April 1994. Trócaire began to work in Rwanda by the summer of1994 when the needs of the local people were enormous. At this time, 1 million people had been killed and muchof the country was devastated. Schools and homes were destroyed, land was left unused, and many children wereleft to raise their younger brothers and sisters. Trócaire’s work has continued in Rwanda since 1994 and theprojects described below give an insight into this work.


This school is Kirambi Catholic School and it was built by Trócaire in 1997. Teachers werealso trained at that time. It is now run by the Rwandan government and has 460 studentsranging in age from 7 to 14. Eugenia is 7 years old and is in first class. She walks 4 miles toschool every morning and is currently studying Maths, French, English, Kinyarwanda,Religion, Values, Food Technology and Science.

How do you think education will help Rwandans to develop their country?

________________________________________________________________________________

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The Batwa are the indigenous peoples of Rwanda. They make up less than 1% of thepopulation. The Batwa were not part of the Hutu-Tutsi conflict yet it is estimated that30% of their community were killed or died as a result of the genocide in 1994. This groupof Batwa take part in a Trócaire funded project which helps them to identify their rightsand to be part of the future of Rwanda. In this way their voice will be heard and they willgain their rightful place in Rwandan society.

What part do you think the Batwa can play in the future of Rwanda?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

Justine is 23 years of age and is a member of a youth group in her local village that meetstwice a week. The group use dance, theatre and gospel reflections to look at issues of humanrights and non-violence. She fled Rwanda in 1994 and lived as a refugee in the Congo fortwo years. She believes that the future for Rwanda lies in its young people having a realawareness of human rights so that the terrible events of the past will never happen again.

Why do you think Justine might have said this?

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The Tree of Life centre is a place where women suffering with HIV/Aids are welcomed. Thecentre provides education on HIV/Aids, and sufferers with the disease, especially those withchildren, are helped to cope with counselling and support. This photo is of the tree that wasplanted to symbolise the hope that this group will bring to the people of Rwanda.

How can the ‘Tree of Life’ project bring about change?

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________________________________________________________________________________

Jacqueline’s StoryWhen Jacqueline’s parents died she was only 8 years of age. She had to then start lookingafter her six brothers and sisters. She is pictured here with her youngest brother Florien whois now staying with cousins. She had to work hard to keep her family together and had toleave school to become a full-time mother to the family. Her dearest wish is that her brothersand sisters will have a better life than she has had. She is currently in a Trócaire programmeto help the family earn more income and may soon realise her dream of returning to school.

What do you think are the main problems that Jacqueline would have faced overthe past 10 years?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

1. EDUCATION

2. THE BATWA

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5. CHILD HEADED HOUSEHOLDS

4. HEALTH / HIV/AIDS

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CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: PEACE OF MIND

Note to Teacher In Rwanda, sadness and grieving became a part of daily life following1994. At present, some areas in the region still suffer daily sadness such as eastern Congo while formany in Rwanda the grieving process is only starting. This section attempts to highlight theimportance of tackling this issue in Rwanda in order for the people of the country to come to termswith the past and create a future of hope.

Aim of Lesson To explore how violence and loss affect people’s lives.

Time 40 Minutes

Preparation Briefly review previous activity focusing specifically on this statement.DEVELOPMENT for Rwanda means helping people to overcome the traumas that prevent them from getting on with their lives.

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Information for TeacherBackground to Trócaire and TraumaCounselling in Rwanda.Since the genocide of 1994, Rwandan society hasbecome aware that trauma is a normal reaction to anabnormal situation. Different people react in differentways when living with the memories of the violenceof 1994 and with the loss of close family membersand friends. Trócaire therefore established aCounselling Programme in 1995 to help genocidesurvivors come to terms with what happened and tocope with the feelings and experiences that so manypeople held. Today, this Counselling Programme isrun by a Rwandan group called ARCT (Association ofRwandan Counsellors for Trauma). The counsellorshelp people to deal with the symptoms of genocidesurvivors such as sleeplessness, stomach ulcers,

Lenten Campaign 2004

ACTIVITY 1Pass out the three stories on page 9. Ask thestudents to read each story carefully and explainthat these stories show women at different stagesof counselling. Following the reading of the stories,pose the following questions to the students fordiscussion:1. What differences do you see in the three stories?2. How has the counselling helped these women?3. Why is Geneviève’s faith important in her

recovery?

anxiety, grief, headaches and flashbacks of eventssuch as murder and rape. They also deal with a lot ofcrises in schools, such as a marked increase inviolence and the large number of orphans.

ACTIVITY 2Copy and distribute the poetry quotesbelow. Ask the students to relate thepoets’ words to the words and stories ofthe three women that you have read.

Your absence has gone through meLike thread through a needle.

Everything I do is stitched with itscolour.

SSeeppaarraattiioonn,, W.S. Merwin

Take pity on me, Yahweh,I am in trouble now,Grief wastes away my eye,my throat, my inmost parts.PPssaallmm 3311 PPrraayyeerr iinn ttiimmee ooff oorrddeeaall ((vv.. 99))

I have nowhereto go and

nowhere to gowhen I get

back from thereSSttiillllss,, A.R. Ammons

Every old man I seeReminds me of my father . . .MMeemmoorryy ooff mmyy FFaatthheerr, Patrick Kavanagh

with sleep so scarce and aroom so small,

what chances have yourghosts to visit you at all.

TThhee BBooxx RRoooomm, Tom French

Like a dream he would remember laterThe village in the valley . . .One day going home . . .A lone word rose up in him,uaigneas.*

*loneliness

EEddmmuunndd BBuurrkkee iinn BBaallllyydduuffff, Flann O’Connor

Though I pass through a gloomyvalley,

I fear no harm;beside me your rod and your staff

are there, to hearten.PPssaallmm 2233

TThhee GGoooodd SShheepphheerrdd ((vv.. 44))


acting wildly and running away from my house...

I thank God that I received trauma counselling with nocharge. If I was going to pay for it, it would have mademy situation worse. The persons I miss and think aboutdearly are both my mother and brother. I continued tobenefit from trauma counselling and gradually followingthe advice of my counsellor, I came to accept the factthat my loved ones are gone and will never come back.Trauma heals with time and it needs patience.

As a conclusion, I am asking the counsellors to dotheir work diligently and with patience. The clientshave internal wounds that can’t be seen physically. I wish Rwandans could have feelings to care fororphans and widows because they have emotionaldistresses and therefore are not totally fit internally.

I thank the trauma counsellors who endeavour to treatthose who are traumatised.

Story 3:Geneviève lost her husbandEdward and three of herchildren during thegenocide. Teobald,Emmanuel and Alice werekilled in their local villagebut she never knew exactlywhat happened. She waslucky to survive with herthree smallest children. Her neighbours hid her andshe was constantly terrifiedas she moved from place to place to avoid the killerswho were searching for them.

After the genocide ended, her heart was full of pain.‘I thought I would never be able to speak to anyone inthe area again because of what happened’. The loss ofher husband and her three eldest children had a deepimpact on her whole family.

Slowly she began to get counselling through a localgroup. This group brought together women who hadlost their husbands with women whose husbands werein prison for committing terrible acts. Despite thegreat difficulty in opening up at the start, she hascome to see real value in the meetings and even walks3 hours to get to each meeting. A large part of thiseffort for her is to get together with others to talk andshare so she is not lonely.

She knows that her faith has given her the strength tolive with those who killed her family. She prays everyday and reads her bible. The most consoling piece forher is Corinthians 13 : 6. ‘Love does not delight in Evilbut rejoices in the Truth’. When she reads this, shefeels happier. It helps with the stress and the lonelyfeelings and the deep sadness. She reads it mostevenings when day has ended and has startedattending a prayer group of people who pray together.

Story 1: LeonillaIngabire is twenty years old andher son Fiacre is just two.Leonilla lost most of her familyduring the genocide in 1994.

This is her story - In 1994 I was 10 years old. Myfamily and I were hiding in thelocal church for safety. There weremany other families with us.Outside the attackers beganthrowing grenades into the church,killing many people and forcing us outside. I ran into thegardens and was hiding but some attackers found me. Theygave me a hoe and a pick axe and told me to dig a hole thatwas to be my grave. They were beating me with machetesand shouting at me. A woman came along and tried to stopthem. She told them I was not from this village and should besent home. They let me go but told me to go back to my ownvillage where I would be killed by my neighbours.

After the war she had terrible feelings of isolation andsadness and was not able to talk to anyone. Thesefeelings continued for years. She talked to a friend whohad been through counselling. Leonilla then decided togo along to ARCT and to seek help with her problemsand to make her feel better. Leonilla has attended threesessions and already she feels like a weight has beenlifted from her and that there is some hope for thefuture. She is only beginning the counselling and stillcannot talk about many of the events that she witnessed.She finds it particularly hard to talk about the killing ofher own family which she saw as a small girl.

Story 2: The following is a letter that waswritten to one of the counsellors of ARCT by a young girlwho was orphaned during the genocide.

ARCT – Ruhuka has saved me from hell!

My troubles started in 1995. I got vision of machetes,sticks and hoes ... followed by migraines. My eyesightbecame blurred and I could see a river of blood and I wasvery frightened. Each person was a killer hunting for me.After I got angry with everybody and I couldn’t sleep atnight dreaming about my relatives killed along time ago.

In brief when somebody is traumatised, many peoplethink he (she) is mentally disturbed or has been poisoned.When you have somebody to care for you this is ideal andwhen you live in poverty this makes the situation worse.I am talking from experience as I was deeply traumatised.And now I feel I have recovered. Most of the time I wasangry with everybody, my heart full of sadness and feelinglonely. When I was on my own, I could possibly endangermyself by stabbing myself.

I had a lot of pain and sadness but nobody to share with.When I met the trauma counsellor for the first time, I hidmy condition as I thought she was not in a position to helpme. My condition was really bad, I was on the point of


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CASUALTIES OF CONFLICT: PEACE OF MIND



TOWARDS RECONCILIATIONIn the world in which we live there have been many conflicts and the consequences of these are deep andlong lasting. In order to move on and rebuild broken lives and dreams we have to forge peace and be reconciledwith our former enemies. This is not easy to do. As we speak many countries are experiencing the aftermath ofconflict. South Africa, the Middle East and of course Rwanda are some of the places progressing with their ownconflict resolutions and peace processes.

ACTIVITY

Aim of Lesson to analyse a conflict situation and participate in how it might be resolved in a familiar setting.

Preparation Break the class into groups of four and assign each individual one of the roles below.Allow them a few moments to prepare their response. The task of each group is to finda solution to the conflict and to present this to the rest of the class.Suggestions: encourage the Mum and Dad to work together. A possible solution mightbe that the brother and sister clean the room together, the CD is returned and that theyfinally shake hands.

SISTER You go into yourbedroom, see your brotherthere and your room’s a mess.Your brother says “I’ve beenlooking all over your room forthe CDs you took from me.Where are they?” You’rerightly upset that your brotherhas messed up your room andinvaded your privacy. On theother hand, you know thetruth. You did take his CDwithout asking him and youwould be annoyed too if hedid something like that. Youare beginning to feel a bitguilty and know you shouldtell the truth.

MUMYou’ve just come infrom work. It’s beena long day and you’retired. There’s noisecoming from upstairsand you hear yourchildren fighting.You’re not sure whathappened but theirfather seems to befinding out. Whenhe fills you in, youwant them to shakehands and letbygones be bygonesso that there can bepeace and quiet.

DADYou were at homewhen the fightingstarted betweenyour two children.You also heard someof the argument.Now you want thefull story so thatyou can hear bothsides. Once you do,you and your wifewill decide what theoutcome should be.No matter what, youare concerned thatthe conflict isresolved fairly.

BROTHERYour sister has justcaught you in herbedroom. You’ve beenthere for a while andhave made a mess.You’re positive she’staken your CD withoutasking you and you’rereally annoyed. That’swhy you made such amess. She’s very angry.You’d be too if she didthat to your bedroom andyou’re beginning to feel abit guilty but are stillreluctant to show mercy.

FOLLOW-UP The roots of most conflicts are tangled in inequality, greedand wrongdoing. In order to rectify injustice, victims need to experiencejustice and they want acknowledgement that wrong was done. The exact truthneeds to be sought however difficult. Mercy also has to be shown towards theoffender. Justice should be delivered to prevent the same thing happeningagain and only then will peace allow people to live in harmony. Suggest to thestudents that the roles they have just played, could represent the following;

Sister – Truth Brother – Mercy Dad – Justice Mum – Peace

GACACA : RWANDA’S ROAD TO RECONCILIATION*Pronounced Ga-CHA-chaGacaca is the Kinyarwanda word for grass and it refers tothe small patch of ground where traditionally elders in avillage would congregate to resolve disputes.

There are at least 115,000 suspects being held inovercrowded and unsanitary jails in Rwanda. If each ofthese cases were to be brought before Rwanda’s existingcourt system it would take approximately 100 years to tryall the suspects being held. While the international court in

Arusha is trying 50 cases of those accused of planning ororganising the genocide, the Gacaca will attempt to try casesof suspected involvement in the genocide at a local level.

Gacaca is an innovative and practical attempt by theRwandan government to seek truth, justice, mercy and peacefor future generations.

For further information on the Gacaca please refer to thefollowing website – bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2510971.stmFor further information on the Arusha trials please refer tothe following website – www.ictr.org/default.htm

Truth – exact, in accordance withfacts, genuine.

Mercy – compassionate treatmentof an offender.

Justice – fair and just.

Peace – freedom from war, calm,harmony between people.

(Dictionary definitions)


HOPE FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM


responsibility. This means thatdeveloping countries must carry outpolicy reform – such as devoting a largerpercentage of their own resources tobasic necessities – and strengthen theway that their country is governed. Butthe responsibility does not just lie with thedeveloping countries. Developed countriesmust also play their part by making newaid commitments, and by agreeing to fairtrading rules and debt relief.

Pressure is needed if the MillenniumDevelopment Goals are to be achieved. Too often, political commitments can beignored. It is up to us, as global citizens, tohold world leaders to account, and todemand that these goals become a reality. A campaign is growing throughout Europein support of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals, and the more voices we can add,the stronger the message: MillenniumDevelopment Goals 2015 – No Excuse!

2015 – No Excuse!Although an end to poverty and hungermight sometimes seem like a distanttarget, we have the financial andtechnological resources to make ithappen. We cannot miss this opportunityto make a real difference to the lives ofmillions of people.

For a truly global partnership, rich andpoor countries must each take

Development – What Now?On page 6, we explored the concept of development, in all itsshapes and sizes, from the elimination of poverty and hunger,to being able to live in peace and having access to educationand health care. Development organisations like Trócaire worktowards these and other aims, but strong political will is alsoneeded to make these goals a reality. Is this just wishfulthinking, a wish list of unreachable targets? The students cantry and imagine what the world might look like by 2015 interms of development through the activity on the followingpage.

Millenium Development GoalsIn September 2000, a United Nations Millennium Summit was

held in New York. At thismeeting, world leadersagreed to a set of time-bound and measurablegoals and targets forcombating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy,environmental degradation and discrimination against women.These are now called the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). Both the Irish and British Governments madecommitments to reach these goals by 2015. It is hoped that injust over a decade the ever-widening gap between rich and poormay have narrowed, and a strong global partnership will havebeen built between the developed and the developing world.

GOAL

1

GOAL

3

GOAL

5

GOAL

7

GOAL

2

ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER1 billion people continue to live on less than €1 a day.

ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR ALLToday, 113 million children are excluded from education.

GOAL

4

GOAL

6

GOAL

8

REDUCE CHILD MORTALITY About 11 million children die before their fifth birthday, from largely preventable causes.

IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH In developing countries the risk ofdying in childbirth is 1 in 48. In developed countries, the risk is 1 in 9000

(*Source: World Health Organisation).

PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMENBy age 18, girls have received an average of 4.4 years less education than boys

COMBAT HIV/AIDS, MALARIA AND OTHER DISEASES34.3 million people are living with HIV. 3.8 million children have already died from AIDS.

ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY More than 1 billionpeople lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2 billion lack sanitation.

SECURE A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENTDeveloping countries received only €56 billion dollars in aid, while €200 billion

worth of funds (in debt repayments and foreign direct investment) wastransferred from developing countries to developed countries in 2002.

Unfair trade rules mean that poorcountries lose out.

The United Nations estimates that iftrade rules worked for poor countriesthey could reap benefits of up toUS$700 billion a year.

This is 14 times what developingcountries receive in aid each year and30 times the amount they pay in debt

Trade, Aid and Debt – What’s the Link?



HOPE FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM Encourage yourstudents to close theireyes for a momentand try to imagine…..

….while you read the following

In 2015,• Poverty and Hunger will be halved

• Primary education for all will be achieved

• Men and women will be treated equally with everyone’s rights respected

• Child mortality rates will be reduced by two-thirds

• The proportion of women dying in childbirth will by reduced by three-quarters

• The incidence of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other major diseases will begin to reverse

• The lives of 100 million slum dwellers will be improved and the proportion of people with access to safe waterwill have doubled.

• Developing countries debts will be cancelled and the world will have a fairer international trading system.

Seems like a dream, right? Surely that would cost billions of dollars…

ACTIVITY (adapted from One World Week’s publication, Peace by Piece)

Aim: To introduce the students to the idea of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlighthow they could be financed for just a fraction of the cost of current global military expenditure.

To do: Break the students into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group 10x $10 billion bank notes. Write outeach item from the auction list on a post-it without the price and stick them up. Explain to the groupthat they can bid for the items on the list. Allow a few moments for the groups to decide which itemsare of most importance to them. The groups then bid for each item. As they do, remove the items andgive it to the successful group in exchange for their money.

AUCTION LIST FOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICIAL TOTAL (per annum)

Provide health care $15 billionEliminate starvation and malnourishment $19 billionProvide shelter $21 billionProvide safe, clean water $58 billionCombat HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa $3 billionProvide universal primary education for all $8 billionEnd developing countries debts $30 billionStop deforestation $7 billionPrevent global warming $8billionPrevent soil erosion $24 billion____________________________________________________TOTAL $193 billion

After: In the large group, ask how much do they thinkit would cost to achieve everything on the list. Make a note of all the responses then highlightthe official totals above. It’s a lot of money BUT

• the world spends $800 billion on the armsindustry every year

• developing countries lose out on a potential$700 billion every year due to unfairinternational trading systems (UN figures)

What does this say about the world’s priorities?This Lent we are offering students anopportunity to call on their government to ensure that the MDGs are a priority.

Check out our Action Page overleaf to find out how you can play a part!

10BILLION

$TEN BILLION

10BILLION

$

to be photocopied


THE MDG CAMPAIGNThe Millennium Development Goals grew out of aUnited Nations Summit, and it is the UN that monitorsthe progress of the Goals, through the UNDP – UnitedNations Development Programme. This is the UN’sglobal development network, advocating for changeand providing countries with knowledge, experienceand resources to help people build a better life. TheUNDP works on the ground in 166 countries, and isinvolved in linking and coordinating global and nationalefforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Part of these efforts include a worldwide Campaign onthe MDGs. Various organisations around the worldhave recently taken up the Campaign, and with thiscall to action, Trócaire is joining the global effort.

The Campaign is at work in thedeveloped and the developingworlds. In the developed world, theefforts have focussed on persuadingdonors to meet their commitments under Goal 8 interms of aid, trade and debt relief for developingcountries. In the developing countries, the Campaignhopes to stimulate national political debate andharness existing national and regional networks andsocial movements in support of the Goals.

Here, we look at several different actions studentsmight like to take, in order to put into practice all thatthey have learned so far about development. Theseactions will range from reflecting on the issues raisedin this resource, to taking action for social justice.

CAMPAIGN….Join Trócaire’s MillenniumDevelopment Goal Campaign,and help make the Goals areality! See www.trócaire.org

� Contact Trócaire for more information onthis awareness raising and postcardcampaign.

� Decide where you will carry out theCampaign – at school, in your parish, amongfriends, family, neighbours, etc.

� Raise awareness in your community aboutthe Millennium Development Goals by:- designing information leaflets,- painting posters and displaying them in

local shops, schools, parish halls,community centres, etc.

- making and decorating fact sheets on theMillennium Development Goals (see Page11 for the Goals),

- making a different poster for each MDG(eight in total) and having an exhibition inyour local library.

� Ask as many people as possible to signpostcards for the Trócaire MDG Campaign.Collect signatures by:- calling to the houses of people that you

know in your local area, explaining theissues,

- holding a Campaigns stall in school atlunchtime,

- ask your local supermarket if you can setup a stall outside their entrance,

- encourage your teachers to sign thepostcards.

FAST…This action particularly fits with the first MillenniumDevelopment Goal, to halve extreme poverty and hunger.In solidarity with the 800 million people who wake uphungry every day, why not take part in Trócaire’s 24-hourFast on 5th and 6th of March 2004.Ideas on how to take part in the Trócaire 24-hour Fast:

- carry out the Fast as a class or school event,- contact Trócaire for sponsorship cards,- ask family, friends and neighbours to sponsor you,- design posters explaining why you are fasting, and

display them on your classroom door.

PRAYER SERVICE…A prayer service will allow students to reflect and pray forthemselves and for the people of Rwanda.

Students will be asked to remember those who diedduring the Rwandan genocide ten years ago. They willalso have the chance to symbolically create a world wherethe Millennium Development Goals are achieved.

Ideas for a prayer service can be found on the next page.

Lenten Campaign 2004

NOEXCUSES

a…Ideas for ACTION…

X13

ACTION…ACTION…ACTION…ACTION…Students might carry out one or all of the above actions. The important thing is that they are using their knowledgeand calling for a better world for those who are held backby poverty, oppression and injustice. Action for justice takesmany forms – campaigning for human rights, raising fundsfor development, and putting faith into action through prayerand reflection on social justice.

Discussion Point:In the context of campaigning, read the following statementto students, and ask for their reactions:If you think that you are small and cannot make a difference,try spending a night in a room with a mosquito.



�

�

PRAYER SERVICE ON THE THEME OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATIONThis prayer service will work best if students have completed some of the activities suggested in this resource.

Preparation time: 30/40 minutesMaterials needed: Bibles, coloured card, markers, copies of photos from Lent 2004 CD Rom.

Choose Readings: Ask all students to do a biblesearch from the readings below and to pick tworeadings that suit the theme of peace andreconciliation.Matthew 12:18-21 On TruthMatthew 5:1-12 The BeatitudesLuke 6:36 Compassion – love your enemiesJohn 16: 32-33 Peace in GodJohn 14: 27 Peace I give you1Cor 12: 12-30 The analogy of the bodyLuke 10:29-37 The Good SamaritanLuke 17:4 On forgiveness

Divide students into groups to complete at least oneof the following activities:

1Student thoughts Following the activities theyhave done and what they have learned aboutRwanda ask students to write a

reflection/poem/petition for Rwanda. (You will need atleast 10 of these for the prayer service.)

or

2Quotes on Peace And Reconciliation Studentschoose one of the quotes from Catholic SocialTeaching below, or a quote from the bible

readings above to write out and decorate.

“Nothing is lost by peace, everything may be lost bywar.” Mater et Magistra 1961

“In order to build up peace, injustice must be rootedout.” Gaudium et Spes 1965

“If you want peace, work for justice.” Pope Paul V1

“Peace is founded on truth, built on justice, nurturedand animated by charity and brought into effectunder the auspices of freedom.”Pacem in Terris, John XX111,1965

or

3Photographs Ask students to choose aphotograph from Rwanda and to write a shortcaption for the photo on the theme of peace and

reconciliation.

or

4Millennium DevelopmentGoals Ask the studentsto make and design a

Millennium Wheel, with oneGoal written in eachsegment.

Prayer Service: 30/40 minutesMaterials needed: Candles/nightlights (10), Readings (see above), Quotes (see above), Reflective Music,

Copies of photos from Lent 2004 CD Rom, Millennium Wheel of Hope.

personal conflict. Let them reflect on how theycould play their part in bringing about areconciliation. Students then offer the sign of peaceto the person beside them, symbolising forgiveness.

Prayer for Peace – Oscar Romero El Salvador

Peace is not the product of terror or fear.Peace is not the silence of cemeteriesPeace is not the silent result of violent repressionPeace is the generous, tranquil contributionOf all to the good of allPeace is dynamismPeace is generosityIt is right and it is duty.

Millennium Wheel of Hope: Ask eight students toeach take a segment of the Millennium Wheel, andto place it in the ring of candles, to form a completecircle, symbolising hope for the future. As this isbeing done ask students to reflect on what theyhave learned about Rwanda and how each goalrepresents hope for the generation after genocide.

Our Father: To be prayed together to end.

Place Rwanda photos with student captions and studentquotes on the floor surrounded by the ten candles(unlit). Have soft music playing in the backgound.

Opening: The 10th anniversary of the beginning of theGenocide in Rwanda is on April 6th. This is the Tuesday of Holy Week.As we prepare to celebrate Easter, the season of hopeand rebirth, we remember the people of Rwanda whodied during the genocide in 1994 and we look forwardwith hope for the young people of Rwanda – thegeneration after genocide.

1st Reading As chosen by students.

Student Reflections: Choose 10 reflections/petitions aswritten by students. Ask each of the ten students to lighta candle symbolising each year since the genocide. Playlight music in the background. Gradually lower themusic as each student reads out theirreflection/petition/poem. Each reading is followed by afew moments of reflective music.

2nd Reading As chosen by students.

Sign of Peace: Ask students to think about someone theyare not getting on well with at the moment because of a


Your Educational CD ROMwith this Resource.In response to the number of growing requests from schools for images andphotos, we have provided a CD ROM with photos and information for use inthe classroom.

There are 6 folders on this CD ROM to suit a number of classroom needs.

Just a few suggestions

• Do a PowerPoint Presentation in the classroom if the equipment is availablein your school.

• Print the images from the photo folder in colour in your schools computer roomand use them in class. If this is not available in school, internet cafes or computer storeswill print these images from the CD ROM.

• Print a number of the images in black and white on a regular printer and give students a copy of some of thephotos.

• Print some of the images in colour and photocopy them onto transparencies (acetates) for use on an overheadprojector.

• Print the images from the General Folder to have as a classroom resource when teaching about a wide rangeof issues.


A PowerPointPresentation onRwanda following

the flow of thisresource.

1 A WORD document

with text to accompany the Power

Point Presentation

on Rwanda.

2 A Folder of Photos on Rwanda

which can beprinted forclassroom use.

3

A WORD document

with text toaccompany theFolder of Photos

on Rwanda.

4 A General Folder

of images andphotos for use in

the classroom.

5 A WORD document

with text toaccompany theGeneral Folder.

6

Your CD ROM contains


Curricular links with Religious Education,CSPE and Citizenship Education.

Resource Centres

•Maynooth, Co. Kildare. • 12 Cathedral Street, Dublin 1.

• 50 King St., Belfast, BT1 6AD. • 9 Cook St., Cork.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONTrócaire’s Lenten Resource on Rwandais suitable for use with all religionclasses. It provides a concrete exampleof faith and justice in action through thework of Trócaire in Rwanda during the10 years since the 1994 genocide. It alsoexplores the theme of reconciliation andchallenges us all to reflect on thecauses of conflict even in our own lives.The suggested actions give students theopportunity to put their own faith inaction. Through this reflection andaction students are participating in thefuture of Rwanda – the generation aftergenocide.

For teachers of the Junior CertificateReligious Education Syllabus thefollowing links can be made:

Section B Part 3 Discipleship/vocationPage 7,14

Section F Part 2 Moral Vision Page 11-14

Section F Part 4 Justice/DecisionMaking/Truth/ Reconciliation Page 10,14

For teachers of the RE curriculumin the North of Ireland thefollowing links can be made:

KEY STAGE 3Christian Church (c) Worship,prayer and their effects - (AT 2.c)plan a school assembly includingdifferent types of prayer. Page 13-14

Morality (c). Making Decisions -(AT 3.c) role-play a family - basedconflict which is resolved byreconciliation and prepare andpresent to the class the case forsupporting a Third World concern. Page 10 &13

KEY STAGE 4 (GCSE - AQA Syllabus)

Option A - Effects of the RomanCatholic Tradition upon aspects ofChristian Lifestyle and behaviour

Justice and ReconciliationPage 10

Christian responsibilityPage 11,12,13

CSPEThe focus of this year’s LentenCampaign is suitable for CSPEstudies in a number of ways.Under the broad theme ofconflict, with Rwanda as thelens, you and your studentshave the opportunity to exploresome of the core conceptswithin CSPE and to take actionas global citizens.

_________________________

Below are some suggestionsas to how these concepts canbe examined through theactivities in the pack and ideasfor concrete Action Projects.These suggestions are notexhaustive and the packcontains many other optionsfor you and your particularstudents.

ACTIONTrócaire’s campaign this year for the Millennium DevelopmentGoals is ideal for an Action Project. Below are some suggestionsas to how your students might role out the campaign in theirschool or wider community> Awareness Raising – this could be done in a number of formats

– fact sheets or leaflets, posters, a presentation, collage,website. Why not use the images from the CD-ROM attached.

> Postcard signings – Why not organise a stand in either theschool or the local shopping centre and collect signatures forthe postcards. As part of the project, your students couldcontact Trócaire for more ideas and to order the postcards.

For more ideas, check out Page 13.

CONCEPTS ACTIVITIES PAGE

1. Rights & Responsibilities The Rights of the Child: Does conflict help or hinder? 4-5

2. Development What is Development? What does it mean for Rwanda? 6-7

3. Human Dignity The Millennium Development Goals – The provision of basic needs such asfood, health, education and security are vital to human dignity. The Millennium Development Goals offer the world a concrete plan as to how all human beings might be accorded that dignity 11-12

4. Interdependence The Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved unless, we as global and interdependent citizens take action to ensure thatthey are met. What role can we play? 13

CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION INNORTHERN IRELAND

KEY CONCEPTS RESOURCE LINKSHuman Rights Rights to Childhood

Page 4-5Democracy and MillenniumActive Participation Development GoalsActive Participation Page 11-13Social Justice Justice &and Equality Reconciliation

Page 10,14

Printed on recycled paper


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