Marking the International Day of Peace, on 21st September International Alert released ‘Fractured Lives’, a photographic essay (below) and film (watch here [6]) on the remarkable stories of Rwandan people who are still working hard to rebuild their lives and their divided society, 18 years after the 1994 genocide.
The photos by award-winning photojournalist Carol Allen Storey highlight the long-term effects of war and the complexity of reconciling a nation.
Commenting on the release, International Alert’s Secretary General Dan Smith said:
'These photos are stunning and the stories behind them even more so. But these are not one-day success stories; they are stories of a lifetime. They highlight the hard work and commitment that goes on 365 days a year, year after year, sometimes for generations, to rebuild lives fractured by conflict.'
Alert also launched the publication Healing fractured lives: reconciliation and reintegration in Rwanda [7], which looks at Alert’s groundbreaking work in Rwanda as a case study within a wider review of reintegration and reconciliation efforts in the country.
Alert’s project, implemented with five Rwandan partner organisations, is achieving what many thought impossible: bringing together genocide victims and suspected perpetrators and establishing a degree of common ground between them.
The project brings together those most affected by the genocide: survivors, ex-prisoners, former combatants and young people. Bringing together people from all sides of the conflict is an essential part of the work, as ex-prisoners are struggling to reintegrate into society alongside their victims’ relatives, and young people are growing up in the shadow of the past. (Find out more about our project in Rwanda here. [8])
The report recommends that this inclusive approach be used more widely in Rwanda as it has direct benefits for social cohesion.
In addition, reintegration work in post-conflict contexts such as Rwanda should explore working with youth, who can represent an opportunity to transform community dynamics and influence other community members for the better.
Alert’s work integrates three main elements: trauma counselling and education; creating dialogue clubs in which the different groups can talk; and supporting economic initiatives by mixed groups, who work together to alleviate their poverty.
The report recommends that reintegration work adopt a similar multidisciplinary approach; single organisations should not be expected to address all needs however – instead, agencies can form coalitions to pool the necessary expertise.
Commenting on the project, Smith added:
'You cannot ignore the economic conditions in the country. This project has been so successful because it addresses both the psychological and economic voids that are always present after conflicts in a long-term process of counselling, dialogue and economic support.'
Carol Allen Storey’s photos will be on display at London’s SW1 Gallery from 2nd-13th October 2012. Find out more here [9].
Photography © Carol Allen Storey for International Alert