Perpetrators’ Reflections on Kwibuka25: Accountability, Justice and Commemoration on the 25th Anniversary of the ‘1994 Genocide of the Tutsi’ in Rwanda

Kwibuka has been criticised for disseminating an oversimplified understanding of the genocide that divides Rwanda's citizenry into innocent Tutsi victims and guilty Hutu perpetrators. Such criticisms are largely based upon qualitative research among survivors and bystanders: perpetrators are comparatively understudied. Yet the state’s pursuit of ‘universal accountability’ has required all accused génocidaires to account for their crimes through a comprehensive transitional justice programme that aligns with Kwibuka, providing valuable insights into the programmes’ effectiveness for promoting social repair and political stability. By interviewing génocidaires during Kwibuka25 in April 2019, this project aims to investigate the extent to which they find value in the official commemoration and transitional justice programmes that have taken shape since the genocide, to inform academic and policy debates.