Beyond genocide : transitional justice and gacaca courts in Rwanda : the search for truth, justice and reconciliation

"Combining both legal and empirical research, this book explores the statutory aspects and practice of gacaca courts (inkiko gacaca), the centrepiece of Rwanda's post-genocide transitional justice system, assessing their contribution to truth, justice and reconciliation. The volume expands the knowledge regarding these courts, assessing not only their performance in terms of formal justice and compliance with human rights standards but also their actual modus operandi. Scholars and practitioners have progressively challenged the idea that genocide should be addressed exclusively through 'westernised' criminal law, arguing that the uniqueness of each genocidal setting requires specific context-sensitive solutions. Rwanda's experience with gacaca courts has emerged as a valuable opportunity for testing this approach, offering never previously tried homegrown solutions to the violence experienced in 1994 and beyond. Due to the unprecedented number of individuals brought to trial, the absence of lawyers, the participative nature, and the presence of lay judges directly elected by the Rwandan population, gacaca courts have attracted the attention of researchers from different disciplines and triggered dichotomous reactions and appraisals"--Back cover. Includes bibliographical references (pages 293-305) and index. xvi, 311 pages : color illustrations ; 25 cm.