Overcoming Cycles of Violence in Rwanda : Ethical Leadership and Ethnic Justice

This book draws upon Paul Tillich's method of correlation and Stephen B.

Bevans' translation and praxis models of contextual theology to develop perspectives on social changes.

Its theory of ethical leadership is informed by drawing contrasts among different social change theories and practices, including those of Martin Luther King, Jr., Paulo Freire, Camilo Torres, and Nelson Mandela.

This book wrestles with the problem of social and political evil that manifests itself in vicious cycles of conflict and oppression.

In Rwanda, such cycles started in the 16th century, when rivalry emerged among the Tutsi clans that had become numerous in the eastern part of Rwanda.

Some Tutsi pushed westward, aggressively invaded Hutu principalities, and used weapons to conquer and dominate them.

Today, in the aftermath of murderous genocides, this book contends that it is urgent and necessary to break the cycle of violence that has alternated since then between Tutsis and Hutus in order to build a community itagira umwaga (where no one cringes and where people are generous). This book concludes that Rwandans need to work collaboratively to eliminate violence and institutionalized injustice, and to install ethical leadership, in order for conflicts between Hutu and Tutsi to diminish and eventually be eliminated.

It presents proposals and a challenge for reconciliation between Hutu and Tutsi.