Conflict and resolution in Rwanda
Author: Alphonse Nshimiyimana
Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 10/19/2004
Category: Conciliation
Center for Conflict Management (CCM)
Research for peace
The Center for Conflict Management (CCM) is part of National University of Rwanda’s departments and was created in 1999 as one of sets of initiatives aimed to deal with the consequences of the 1994 genocide. The CCM is a research center inspired by the National University of Rwanda’s mission built on three axes namely Education, Research and Service to the Community.
Through action oriented researches, the Center for Conflict Management aims:
to be a human framework of research and studies on conflicts and their resolution in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region; to be a multidisciplinary center with various researchers from various backgrounds; to create a space of debate and information on conflicts and peace in Rwanda and in the sub-region of Great Lakes; to disseminate the knowledge on conflicts and peace through publications, trainings, workshops and colloquiums.
With now a staff of 16 persons including researchers, research assistants and administrative body, the Center for Conflict Management conducts its research activities in five main orientations or units:
Rwandan conflict and ways of exit Regional conflicts and their international dimensions Intervention and strategies of conflict prevention and resolution Socio-economic dimensions of conflict Gender, Human Rights and Justice
The findings of researches are published in the Cahiers of the center. Up till now, the main publications concerned the Critical Review on Interpretation of Rwandan Genocide, the Rwandan History, the Gacacaq Jurisdictions, the Identity and Citizenship, Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region and the Elections of 2003 in Rwanda. The forthcoming publications will concern the Land Conflicts in Rwanda and the International Instruments of peace.
Most of those researches were funded by United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which is also the main funding institution of the CCM since its creation.
In addition to the publications, the CCM provides trainings in conflict management and conflict resolution to various beneficiaries involved in the process of peace-building in Rwanda. The CCM’s researchers contribute also to the university’s teaching activities in different programs related to their backgrounds. Trough internships, research activities and trainings the CCM aims to interest students to the problematic of conflict and peace.
In order to overcome the constraints of human and financial means, the CCM established partnerships with national and international organization and institutions, which deal with conflicts and peace issues. The partnerships are based on collaboration and exchanges of experiences and information. In this regard, most of researches conceived by the CCM are conducted in collaboration with researchers from other institutions or organization. Since 2003, the CCM has put emphasis on the sub-region dimensions of the conflict and has associated to the research activities the experts from Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo. The ultimate objective of that collaboration is to unify efforts and skills in order to produce the knowledge and materials about conflicts and peace in Rwanda and in the Great Lakes Region.
q Traditional tribunals set up in order to deal with the large number of the suspects of the genocide
Footnote:
Bio: The author is currently undertaking postgraduate work at the University for Peace.
