Source: (1999) Relational Justice Bulletin. July (3): 3. Downloaded 15 May 2003.
Sophie Bishop looks at the Rwandan form of conflict resolution known as gacaca from the viewpoint of relational justice, which emphasises the human need for relationships and desire for justice. Facing post-genocide disruption of the justice infrastructure, Rwanda has classified genocide-related crimes into four categories. Crimes in three of the categories will be dealt with outside the formal courts, in locally elected community courts at the commune or secteur level. According to Bishop, relational justice encourages communal ownership of the problem, local trials to enhance truth telling, and safeguards to ensure community accountability. Bishop thus advocates that Category Two crimes, as well as Categories Three and Four, be tried at the smaller secteur level, but also that the gacaca courts make recommendations to the formal judiciary rather than making final decisions.
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