Archival Opacity on Genocide Perpetrators in Rwanda

This article discusses the methodological challenges of archival research on perpetrators of genocide, especially with regard to the selectivity, accessibility, and availability of perpetrator testimonies in the Genocide Archive of Rwanda, which is primarily a victimary archive, to use Sara Kendall’s term. The discussion extends beyond Rwanda to include reflections on the purpose and focus of post-conflict archives, the silencing or enhancing of perpetrators’ voices in archives, and the impact of archives on transitional justice processes. Archives are not neutral places that present objective facts. Rather, they are sites of power that contain specific narratives about the perpetrators and victims, which can negatively affect reconciliation between groups. Conflicts and genocides are dynamic, and the affected individuals have fluid identities: they can, for example, be victims as well as perpetrators. Do archives mirror these dynamics, and do they allow counter-histories? The article explores the testimonies available in the Genocide Archive, their meta-data, and narratives as well as gaps and omissions. Since archives tell stories and describe places of memorialisation, their policies and content influence how individuals and collectivities remember history – and how they can transition to a peaceful co-existence.