RECONCILIATION PROGRAM
Testimony: Forgiving the murderers of my father – The Case of a rebel soldier
"My Father was killed by a soldier, who was actually one of our neighbours in 1994. By that time I was doing my secondary school at 'ETS KAMENGE'. I sought to find out the reason why he was killed and found out that he was killed just because he was a Hutu. Latter on I joined the FNL, one of the armed groups, because I was so much filled with hatred and the desire to revenge. Every time I met the children of the one who killed my father I felt I could vomit. Before I attended this workshop I had plans to kill one of the sons of my father's murderer. I have even stopped reading the Bible because it could refrain me from committing forfeits. Now I forgive him and drop my plan for revenge. I feel I am healed in my heart." - Participant
"My Father was killed by a soldier, who was actually one of our neighbours in 1994. By that time I was doing my secondary school at 'ETS KAMENGE'. I sought to find out the reason why he was killed and found out that he was killed just because he was a Hutu. Latter on I joined the FNL, one of the armed groups, because I was so much filled with hatred and the desire to revenge. Every time I met the children of the one who killed my father I felt I could vomit. Before I attended this workshop I had plans to kill one of the sons of my father's murderer. I have even stopped reading the Bible because it could refrain me from committing forfeits. Now I forgive him and drop my plan for revenge. I feel I am healed in my heart." - Participant
CCW supports the peace process in Burundi by conducting reconciliation and trauma-healing workshops for various target groups (widows, youth, church leaders, administrative and political leaders, former members of armed groups, etc.). We help victims to start the journey of trauma healing and we encourage them to reconcile with offenders.
Relevance:
In its past and recent history, Burundi experienced armed internal conflicts that had a tremendous impact on its society and economy. The crises of 1965, 1972, 1988, 1991 and 1993 culminated in the loss of approximately half a million people. Again, the recent civil war from 1993-2005 killed another 200.000-350.000 people and forced not less than 700.000 to flee to neighbouring countries. These numbers can only give a superficial account of the social and psychological impact that the conflict had on the ordinary lives of Burundians. Although the large majority of the population were not actively involved in the fighting, they had and still have to carry the main burden of the conflict. Many lost relatives & properties, had to flee or experienced violence and rape. As a result of these terrifying experiences, many Burundians still suffer of serious traumas, which affect their daily lives and the people around them. (For more information on the conflict situation in Burundi, you may check the following websites: International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch or Insights on Conflict.
The intensity of the decade long conflict, divided communities and fresh conflicts over land make the reconciliation process between perpetrators and victims very difficult. Many victims carry their past experiences with them and are not willing to forgive, and perpetrators, on their part, may not know how to ask for forgiveness. The promise to establish a truth and reconciliation commission on a national level has so far not yielded any fruits. Thus, there is need for grassroots solutions so that people can get reconciled and initiate new interpersonal relations.
In its past and recent history, Burundi experienced armed internal conflicts that had a tremendous impact on its society and economy. The crises of 1965, 1972, 1988, 1991 and 1993 culminated in the loss of approximately half a million people. Again, the recent civil war from 1993-2005 killed another 200.000-350.000 people and forced not less than 700.000 to flee to neighbouring countries. These numbers can only give a superficial account of the social and psychological impact that the conflict had on the ordinary lives of Burundians. Although the large majority of the population were not actively involved in the fighting, they had and still have to carry the main burden of the conflict. Many lost relatives & properties, had to flee or experienced violence and rape. As a result of these terrifying experiences, many Burundians still suffer of serious traumas, which affect their daily lives and the people around them. (For more information on the conflict situation in Burundi, you may check the following websites: International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch or Insights on Conflict.
The intensity of the decade long conflict, divided communities and fresh conflicts over land make the reconciliation process between perpetrators and victims very difficult. Many victims carry their past experiences with them and are not willing to forgive, and perpetrators, on their part, may not know how to ask for forgiveness. The promise to establish a truth and reconciliation commission on a national level has so far not yielded any fruits. Thus, there is need for grassroots solutions so that people can get reconciled and initiate new interpersonal relations.
Objectives:
CCW has realised the need for reconciliation and commits itself actively to promote the reconciliation process on local and national level.
The overall goal of the CCW reconciliation program is to contribute to the peacebuilding process in Burundi through the promotion of peace, reconciliation and trauma healing. The program aims to achieve this broad goal through the following specific objectives:
CCW has realised the need for reconciliation and commits itself actively to promote the reconciliation process on local and national level.
The overall goal of the CCW reconciliation program is to contribute to the peacebuilding process in Burundi through the promotion of peace, reconciliation and trauma healing. The program aims to achieve this broad goal through the following specific objectives:
- Strengthening the capacity of Burundians to solve intra-communal conflicts in a pacific and sustainable manner.
- Assisting victims of trauma to identify their psychological wounds and start the journey to recover from them
- Promoting forgiveness among Burundians in order to reconcile relationships
- Increase awareness among Burundians about existing prejudices and their negative effects in interpersonal relations as well as in the society.
- Encouraging Burundians to renounce existing prejudices to establish mutual trust to each other
- Assisting the needy to establish relevant income generating activities to sustain acquired peace and healing and integral development
Activities:
Based on biblical approaches, we run seminars and workshops that create the needed social space that enhances trauma healing and reconciliation. CCW provides the participants with the opportunity to express their feelings and pain by telling their own stories. In this process, they are able to relieve stress and share their experiences with others – a good start to start the journey of healing. In the course of the seminar, we invite them to identify their trauma and offer them techniques to heal them. The project also aims to increase local capacities in trauma-healing by equipping participants with certain techniques so that they can apply their skills in their respective communities.
Based on biblical approaches, we run seminars and workshops that create the needed social space that enhances trauma healing and reconciliation. CCW provides the participants with the opportunity to express their feelings and pain by telling their own stories. In this process, they are able to relieve stress and share their experiences with others – a good start to start the journey of healing. In the course of the seminar, we invite them to identify their trauma and offer them techniques to heal them. The project also aims to increase local capacities in trauma-healing by equipping participants with certain techniques so that they can apply their skills in their respective communities.
Our seminars:
A video from one of our workshops in Kirundo:
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We are convinced of the liberating power of forgiveness and encourage participants to forgive their perpetrators. However, we acknowledge the fact that some victims prefer to seek reparation. In such cases, we advice them on possible ways to make proper use of the existing traditional or state-run judicial systems that exist in Burundi.
Another issue that is being addressed in our workshops are ethnic prejudices, which still exist and negatively influence inter-ethnic relations in Burundi. We make the participants aware about their own prejudices and explain them the negative consequences of prejudices in interpersonal contacts but also within the society.
In the many seminars, that we have conducted so far, we have realised a high prevalence of family disputes. Our participants narrated how they suffer from interpersonal conflicts within their families that complicate their lives immensely. Many of the family disputes can be see as indirect consequences of the civil war, which had an immense impact on the Burundian social fabric. Based on these accounts we have decided to address also these types of conflicts in our seminars.
Achievements:
Mercy Ministy International has empowered staff of CCW and the Burundi Forum for Healing and Reconciliation with teachings on healing wounds of ethnic conflicts. They assisted us running more than 59 workshops on trauma-healing and reconciliation reaching hundreds of participants in 10 provinces. Transforming human relationships and findings ways to deal with traumas are not easy processes. Our participants face daily challenges that make forgiving difficult and sometimes even elusive. Acknowledging the fact that reconciliation is a long-term process, we want to accompany Burundian on this journey.
CCW has, in March 2014, initiated a refreshed effort to monitor and evaluate its reconciliation program. We are eager to announce that from mid 2014 on, we will be able to share our evaluation results with you and our sponsors.
We currently try to find financial means and other support to run the workshops on a more regular basis so that our teachings can have a greater impact on the reconciliation process in Burundi. If you are interested to support us in this endavour, you may contact us here.
Mercy Ministy International has empowered staff of CCW and the Burundi Forum for Healing and Reconciliation with teachings on healing wounds of ethnic conflicts. They assisted us running more than 59 workshops on trauma-healing and reconciliation reaching hundreds of participants in 10 provinces. Transforming human relationships and findings ways to deal with traumas are not easy processes. Our participants face daily challenges that make forgiving difficult and sometimes even elusive. Acknowledging the fact that reconciliation is a long-term process, we want to accompany Burundian on this journey.
CCW has, in March 2014, initiated a refreshed effort to monitor and evaluate its reconciliation program. We are eager to announce that from mid 2014 on, we will be able to share our evaluation results with you and our sponsors.
We currently try to find financial means and other support to run the workshops on a more regular basis so that our teachings can have a greater impact on the reconciliation process in Burundi. If you are interested to support us in this endavour, you may contact us here.
Testimony: Exchanging sorrows to consoul each other – A widow’s account
“I am a widow since 11 years now. It’s wonderful for widows to have been invited to attend this seminar, gather and have time to exchange experiences, encourage one another and weep if necessary to express our feelings as we are being counselled here now. Let us keep praying for those from us who recently became widow so that they cope easily with this situation and that God does something for their improvement as they are experiencing difficulties.”