TIG camps

This was actually yesterday but I was too tire to post and am equally tired now after 17 hr safari day. But I wanted to post about our day wit the National Unity and Reconcilitatin Commission and the TIG camps.

We met with Ndayisaba Fidele, who is the executive secretary of this commission
He began with an in depth history of Rwanda and its neighbors, its colonial years and the genocide in 1959 and then again 1994. I will not go into all the history here as it can be read on line.
This program supports resorative justice.  All the cases of genocide were tried by he Gacaca ( similar to Nurenberg trials) The cases of genocide were taken to the community. 1,958,000 cases. In 1995 120,000 suspects were in prison and it would have taken over 100 years to try them all in traditional courts. 
Suspects that confessed and apologized receive reduced sentences and may became part of the TIG camps.  We visited one yesterday. The inmats wear blue as opposed to general population inmates in orange,  The Rwandan correctional facility is in what appears to be a village. The guards carry no weapons and appear to interact in a postive way with the inmates . The idea for this type of incareration was introduced in 2011 but the President finally agreed in 2015. TIG means work in the interest of the general population. the program based onn Reinvnt yourself.  The philosophy is that everyone can change.  The directer, Janaibu previously worked i the UN. There are 4 TIG camps today, This wone began with 1000 and today have 69 left which means they served their time and have apologized. there are 51men and 18 women here, Of this 16 men and 15 women are there for genocidal crimes. The remainder are there for other crimes.  Some of the people may have actually used machettes and others may have collaborated. We did not ask.

The inmates work for the community- building housing, making roads.  They ae free to come and go and after 1 year can go to visit their familes- without superevision. Often victims come on Sunday actuallu to visit the inmates who, in some cases have killed their families.
We asked them what they want us to tell the youth iin America and one replied tell them not to get trapped. The perpertrators told them they would live a good life if they killed the others- look at where are are now. They also apoke about not segragating and if even a teacher teaches this you must no agree to making divisions. They mentioned how the new President-- whom is well loved- was taught well.President Kagame.

The inmates greeted us with song- itmeant we can change, The guardstruly believe ALL people change. They are proving it and also the victims are doing what I think is the impossible- forgivness
The little boy is the son of one of the guards