RECONCILIATION VILLAGES
In Mbyo, near Nyamata, former killers live with survivors in a "village of reconciliation". Visitors are welcome if they are accompanied by a local tour operator who will serve as an interpreter. They take part in various activities (agricultural, educational, health, handicrafts) and meet at the end of the visit around a festive event (called Ubusabane) with all members of the community. After traditional dances, a repentant killer will tell his story with all the details, and how he came to kill his closest neighbours. Afterwards, a survivor will explain why reconciliation now prevails over the spirit of revenge. In the beginning, we were terribly afraid of each other," says Laurent, a survivor. At the first meeting, we were each in our own corner. Trust came back little by little. We wanted one thing beforehand: that the perpetrators would tell us where the bodies of the victims are, so that we could bury them with dignity. This impressive and edifying session will be punctuated by the sharing of banana beer and dances. Handicrafts will be offered for sale, the profits of which will go to community projects. In Mbyo, as in the other villages of reconciliation, it is the NGO Fellowship Prison Rwanda, of American evangelical inspiration, which is working to bring together these people who are opposed to each other.
