Altruism” And “Strategic Game” In Post-Genocide Interpersonal Reconciliation

Abstract

Rwanda is the only country in the world where genocide survivors and perpetrators have continued to live in the same villages after the crimes committed were revealed publically by Gacaca courts. Such a context offers an original empirical basis for investigating interpersonal relationships “reestablished” between survivors and perpetrators living close to each other. Drawing on the results of the final evaluation of the “Community Healing and Reconciliation Programme” initiated by the Catholic Church and Catholic Relief Services, this article analyses the different behaviours adopted by these key actors in interpersonal reconciliation processes and discusses the implication of different scenarios observed on the sustainability of the recovered social relationships.

Keywords: empathy-altruism, strategic game, post-genocide reconciliation.