Post-Genocide Rwanda : Achievements and Challenges
November 2-3, 2007
California State University, Sacramento.
The Ethnic Studies Department at California State University at Sacramento is organizing an interdisciplinary conference on Rwanda. Confernce organizers are soliciting papers in all fields of Rwandan studies : politics, history, economics, culture, education, justice, public health, trade, investment, genocide, …from all experts on Rwanda: academics, diplomats, journalists, NGOs, international organizations, government officials, political and religious organizations, civil society, etc.
After the 1994 Tutsi genocide which killed more than one million people, to rebuild the nation , the new government had to start from scratch, because all the infrastructure, the instutiions and human resources were completely destroyed. The country now has a new constitution, new national symbols (flag, emblem, national anthem), new regional administrative units, and it has privatized its parastatals. To deal with the genocide related crimes and the aftermath of genocide, a gacaca tribunal system has been established and a commission on national unity and reconciliation has been created. An international tribunal was also established in Arusha, Tanzania to deal with the architects of genocide. The government’s achievements in some areas are indeed remarkable. New roads have been built.The country has more schools and unversities, both public and private than before. The capital Kigali is expanding and improving. Many organizations inside the country and in the diaspora with diverse initiatives, programs and projects, have been created to deal with genocide, economic, social and economic problems. Unfortunately new problems are also arising. There is a strong revisionist movement inside and outside the country. Survivors of genocide are still being hunted down and killed. The rift between rich and poor is widening. Prices are skyrocketing Unemployment is rising. The number of street children is exponentially increasing. There is a chronic shortage of energy, water and electricity. The agriculture productivity is decreasing because of soil erosion and lack of fertilizers.The conference organizers are seeking papers which address the most serious problems that the country is facing and their respective remedies.
The conference outcome will not only be a contribution to Rwanda’s development but also a model for nation-rebuilding for all countries coming out of ethnic conflict and civil war.
The abstract should be one-page maximum. The committee welcomes papers which are descriptive and prescriptive at the same time, which identify problems but also offer alternative and competing solutions to the ones already being applied.
The deadline for absract submission is July 15, 2007.
All abstracts should be e-mailed to Professor Alexandre Kimenyi at kimenyi@kimenyi .com
Contact persons:
Alexandre Kimenyi : kimenyi@kimenyi.com or kimenyi@saclink.csus.edu Tel. 916-278-6802
Boatamo Mosupyoe, Director Pan-African Studies : mosupyob@csus.edu Tel. 916-278-4376
Ann Thomas :Administrative Coordinator : thomasaf@csus.edu Telephone :Tel.916-278-6645; Fax : 916-278-5156
