SURF's Annual Report 2007

Justice and Protection for Survivors

Personal security for survivors in Rwanda is an ongoing concern, as many must live side-by-side with men who raped them and killed their families, as the perpetrators of the genocide are being released back into the community. The country no longer has the r sources to keep these men incarcerated, and so by admitting guilt at local gacaca (community-based) trials, the perpetrators are now free.

Survivors are requesting that the international community and the Government of Rwanda match funds invested into releasing those that planned the genocide with that spent on the rehabilitation of their victims. No funds were committed to support survivors to prepare their cases, to provide them with representation or to enable them to deal with the trauma of reliving the horrific experiences their families encountered, as recounted in detail by prisoners in gacaca courts. SURF has been working to raise this issue with governments, both in Rwanda and elsewhere.