What choice did Rwanda have?: Rebuilding a modern system after the genocide that maintained the traditional ideals of unity, resolution and reconciliation.

Source: (2014) Gonzaga Journal of International Law.17(2):1-19.

Rwanda is demonstrating to the international community that it is a
nation determined to overcome the stigma that comes with genocide, to unify
its people, and to find a place on the international stage without completely
abandoning its traditional notions of unity, resolution and reconciliation in
the process. These traditional ideals have been most successfully integrated
into the modem Rwandan system through the Gacaca Courts, the most wellknown
homegrown initiative in Rwanda, and Abunzi, the mediation system
that is essentially the successor of the Gacaca Courts. Both Gacaca and
Abunzi serve as significant evidence that homegrown initiatives in Rwanda
provide a successful balance between a modem’ system and the Rwandan
traditional ideals of unity, resolution, and reconciliation. It is necessary for
Rwanda to maintain its traditional ideals after the devastating genocide in
1994, for those traditional ideals are a critical part of rebuilding and
modernizing, thus enabling Rwanda to become a more self-sufficient nation
and a more prominent player on the international stage. Even though much
more needs to be done, Rwanda is making positive strides toward becoming
a more influential presence in the international community. (excerpt)