By Stephanie Harris
I spent the month of August in Rwanda where I carried out independent research on the lingering challenges of post-genocide security. I spent the first half of my trip building a foundational understanding of the genocide’s impact on contemporary security policy, and aimed to uncover the friction between macro and micro politics of national unity and reconciliation. During the second half of my trip I headed to the DRC border where I honed my research on one of the most pressing post-genocide security issues: the disarmament and demobilization of combatants from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). The FDLR is one of the last remaining groups of génocidaire forces still active today in eastern DRC.
I gained a firsthand understanding of the government’s efforts to demobilize and reintegrate members of the group while spending time at the Mutobo Demobilization Center. Mutobo is the first stop for disarmed combatants who have returned to Rwanda after fighting for more than two decades in North and South Kivu. At the center ex-combatants spend three months undergoing trauma counseling, learning about post-genocide reconciliation, contemporary Rwandan society, and receiving vocational training to prepare them for a fresh start in their native country. They also play an active role in disarming their former comrades by aiding in the development and dissemination of counter-propaganda narratives. By combating the anti-Rwandan disinformation and genocidal ideology spread by their former commanders, these ex-combatants become a critical component of the government’s efforts to disarm and repatriate the FDLR.
My time in Rwanda has allowed me to gain remarkable insight into a complicated post-genocide security landscape, insight I could not have gained in the classroom or the library. More generally, the opportunity to do original research overseas has equipped me with knowledge and confidence that will be invaluable to my future work at SSP and beyond.
How did you come up with your project and why does it interest you?
The Rwandan Genocide was the first geopolitical event in my lifetime that caused me to ask questions. I remember not only the deep emotional reaction, but also the intellectual challenge it posed as my young mind grappled to understand how and why such a thing could happen. Overtime, the impact of the event never dissipated and I believe it ultimately played a significant role in my decision to pursue foreign affairs. It felt that a fitting component of my education at SSP, be a trip to Rwanda to dig deeper into the genocide’s history and the lingering challenges it poses to the country’s domestic and regional security.
What was the biggest lesson you took away from this experience?
Some of the most valuable learning happens when you least expect it. When doing research abroad, do not discount the possibility that a casual discussion with your seat mate on the bus, might be just as valuable as a formal interview. I learned the importance of remaining curious, adapting to the unexpected, and always saying ‘yes’ to an invitation to try something new. I gained valuable perspective on the local politics of memorialization and reconciliation during a bike ride over the Congo-Nile trail; I came to understand the challenging terrain in which FDLR operates while trekking in the Virunga mountains; and I learned countless lessons about culture, history, and politics during casual chats with a waiter, taxi driver, or curious passerby on the street. When conducting research abroad, make sure to leave time in your schedule for these unexpected adventures and encounters.
How has this experience impacted your research practice?
Not only has this trip bolstered my confidence as a researcher overseas, but it has also given me new tools with which to strengthen my research practice at home. By spending time in Rwanda, my work maintained a holistic approach, absorbing not just my direct subject of study, but the broader context of politics and culture that I experienced on a daily basis. Over time, I was able to draw valuable connections between these various elements. From this experience I have developed useful heuristics that will allow me to more organically correlate broad contextual information with specific research aims.
I gained a firsthand understanding of the government’s efforts to demobilize and reintegrate members of the group while spending time at the Mutobo Demobilization Center. Mutobo is the first stop for disarmed combatants who have returned to Rwanda after fighting for more than two decades in North and South Kivu. At the center ex-combatants spend three months undergoing trauma counseling, learning about post-genocide reconciliation, contemporary Rwandan society, and receiving vocational training to prepare them for a fresh start in their native country. They also play an active role in disarming their former comrades by aiding in the development and dissemination of counter-propaganda narratives. By combating the anti-Rwandan disinformation and genocidal ideology spread by their former commanders, these ex-combatants become a critical component of the government’s efforts to disarm and repatriate the FDLR.
My time in Rwanda has allowed me to gain remarkable insight into a complicated post-genocide security landscape, insight I could not have gained in the classroom or the library. More generally, the opportunity to do original research overseas has equipped me with knowledge and confidence that will be invaluable to my future work at SSP and beyond.
How did you come up with your project and why does it interest you?
The Rwandan Genocide was the first geopolitical event in my lifetime that caused me to ask questions. I remember not only the deep emotional reaction, but also the intellectual challenge it posed as my young mind grappled to understand how and why such a thing could happen. Overtime, the impact of the event never dissipated and I believe it ultimately played a significant role in my decision to pursue foreign affairs. It felt that a fitting component of my education at SSP, be a trip to Rwanda to dig deeper into the genocide’s history and the lingering challenges it poses to the country’s domestic and regional security.
What was the biggest lesson you took away from this experience?
Some of the most valuable learning happens when you least expect it. When doing research abroad, do not discount the possibility that a casual discussion with your seat mate on the bus, might be just as valuable as a formal interview. I learned the importance of remaining curious, adapting to the unexpected, and always saying ‘yes’ to an invitation to try something new. I gained valuable perspective on the local politics of memorialization and reconciliation during a bike ride over the Congo-Nile trail; I came to understand the challenging terrain in which FDLR operates while trekking in the Virunga mountains; and I learned countless lessons about culture, history, and politics during casual chats with a waiter, taxi driver, or curious passerby on the street. When conducting research abroad, make sure to leave time in your schedule for these unexpected adventures and encounters.
How has this experience impacted your research practice?
Not only has this trip bolstered my confidence as a researcher overseas, but it has also given me new tools with which to strengthen my research practice at home. By spending time in Rwanda, my work maintained a holistic approach, absorbing not just my direct subject of study, but the broader context of politics and culture that I experienced on a daily basis. Over time, I was able to draw valuable connections between these various elements. From this experience I have developed useful heuristics that will allow me to more organically correlate broad contextual information with specific research aims.