Introduction
Healing and reconciliation are crucial to world peace and ending the cycles of conflicts. Addressing the agony caused by war through a peaceful resolution is essential for peace. The text for this introduction essay is chapter 15 of the book Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Repetition: A Global Dialogue on Historical Trauma and Memory by Lambourne and Niyonzima (2016). People who have experienced collective trauma due to severe human rights violations and genocide carry that pain into succeeding generations. As a result, this paper argues that resolving the trauma cycles brought on by these patterns of violence is essential to promoting peace and averting further atrocities.
A Guiding “Conceptual Spine”
The guiding concepts vital to this topic of healing and reconciliation include capacity-building and self-help. Capacity building is the process of enhancing the knowledge, talents, procedures, and assets that enable organizations and communities to endure, adapt, and prosper in a world that is undergoing rapid change. On the other hand, self-help is using one’s efforts and resources to complete tasks independently of others. Integrating locally established techniques for recovery and reunification following trauma with self-help and peacebuilding ideas might help foster community resilience and social trust (Lambourne & Niyonzima, 2016). Generally, these principles serve as the foundation for the definition of healing after violence as a cultural, spiritual, social, and psychological process.
Background on the Topic and Themes
Many failed peace attempts prompted the need to break the generational cycle of conflict in Burundi. In Burundi, using violence as a political tactic resulted in coups frequently happening whenever there was even the appearance of political stability. Various rebel organizations fighting the Tutsi-dominated security forces and militia emerged due to the Hutu rebel movement’s factional divides (Lambourne & Niyonzima, 2016).
Conflicts within the Tutsi elite contributed to the violent ascent to political power. The resounding theme is that there is a need for transitional justice to this problem. Theoretically, this approach fits within four frameworks: institutional reforms, prosecuting perpetrators, reparations, and seeking the truth. Additionally, despite the atrocities and delayed justice, resilience is a central element for peace during the healing process.
Introduction and Description of Each Writing
One article that addresses the Burundi situation and healing approaches after conflicts is “Intergenerational transmission of violence and resilience in conflict-affected Burundi: a qualitative study of why some children thrive despite duress.” Children are the main victims of violence and, often, the primary vessel for the vicious cycle of hate. While all the pillars of transitional justice cannot be applied here, institutional reforms, especially in the caregiving sector, are emphasized through concepts like capacity building. Berckmoes et al. (2017) argue that a strong positive relationship exists between effective caregiving and resilience among children.
The Salvation Army International (2020) recently released a song targeting children, encouraging them to “let’s all sing for peace” (00:21) since they are the pillars of the nation. Generally, caregivers, educators, and influencers must teach children always to choose peaceful resolutions.
Another article from the University database that is essential to addressing the approaches to healing and reconciliation after conflicts is “Rethinking violence, reconciliation, and reconstruction in Burundi.” In this paper, the authors argue that the resources for conflict resolution are still limited since the national reconciliation programs in Burundi are uncertain (Ndimurwimo & Mbao, 2015, p. 849). Essentially, it must be emphasized that Burundi lacks an effective transitional justice paradigm, which has encouraged a climate of impunity and fostered egregious human rights abuses. As a result, this article stresses that post-conflict governments have failed due to a lack of accountability and truth-telling. In general, the two writings connect because they address at least one of the four transitional justice frameworks.
Conclusion
In brief, the overarching idea is that transitional justice can help break the intergenerational cycle of violence. Essentially, this resonates with the book’s theme that emphasizes psychosocial approaches to reconciliation. The first article stresses the need to end hate through effective caregiving, while the second affirms government institutions’ role in achieving peace. Overall, the general approach should focus on understanding how people may reproduce violence and how to avoid such a cycle of conflict from happening.
References
Berckmoes, L. H., De Jong, J. T., & Reis, R. (2017). Intergenerational transmission of violence and resilience in conflict-affected Burundi: A qualitative study of why some children thrive despite duress. Global Mental Health, 4, 1-12. Web.
Lambourne, W., & Niyonzima, D. (2016). Breaking cycles of trauma and violence: Psychosocial approaches to healing and reconciliation in Burundi. In P. Gobodo-Madikizela (Ed.), Breaking intergenerational cycles of repetition: A global dialogue on historical trauma and memory (pp. 291-305). Verlag Barbara Budrich.
Ndimurwimo, L., & Mbao, M. (2015). Rethinking violence, reconciliation and reconstruction in Burundi. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 18(4), 847-900.
The Salvation Army International. (2020). ‘Let’s all sing for peace’ – The Salvation Army in Burundi launches song ahead of elections [Video]. Web.