The Rwandan Diaspora: The Culture of Silence

• In Event: Assessing Justice System Needs for Victims and Offenders

Abstract

The authoritarian Rwandan government, headed by President Paul Kagame, has effectively created a culture of silence among Rwandans. There is a real, and misunderstood, culture of silence regarding speaking out about anything political or potentially divisive. Following ten months of in-depth interviews with eight members of the Rwandan diaspora in the United States and Canada, it appears that this culture of silence has a residual effect on the diaspora. More specifically, it directly affects their attempts at justice and reconciliation among one another and severely hinders both.

Author

• Jennifer Marson, Western Michigan University