78 Scarcity and SurfeitConclusion
Land is not the root cause of the Rwandan conflict. Various factors con-
tributed to the onset and continuation of conflict in Rwanda. The role of land,
however, is critical to understanding conflict dynamics in Rwanda. Land
scarcity in Rwanda is both a function of population pressure and the unequal
distribution of land. Control of the state by elite groups has facilitated their
domination of land ownership. This has aggravated land scarcity for the rural
poor by concentrating ownership of land with a minority.
Prior to the genocide, land was an important factor underlying the forma-
tion of violent conflict between the ruling elite and armed opposition. The
land issue continues to complicate peace-building and national reconciliation
in the post-genocide period. The government is confronted with an enormous
responsibility to settle thousands of returning refugees and secure the land
and resource rights of the rural poor, who are the majority of the population.
At the same time the government, with the support of the international com-
munity, is seeking ways to reduce dependence on subsistence production that
depends on access to scarce land. Dependence on access to scarce land has
reinforced the vulnerability of the rural poor, Hutu and Tutsi alike.
International policy in support of peace building in Rwanda must be based
on a more careful assessment and scrupulous investigation of the dynamics
underlying conflict in Rwanda. As this study shows, by emphasising the eth-
nic parameters of the conflict over other important variables, including land,
past international interventions in Rwanda were, at least to some degree, mis-
guided. This was evident in the Arusha peace process, which emphasised
power sharing, the composition of the armed forces and elections in order to
diffuse ethnic tension, but did not redress other important structural factors
at play. The Arusha Accords, importantly, called for the return of all refugees.
However, the peace process neglected to understand the explanations given
by the government and did not attempt to overcome these by assisting reset-
tlement in terms of creating employment and helping to resolve competing
claims to land and resources. Given the highly charged environment in
Rwanda at the time, it is clear that any return of refugees required careful
planning and significant international involvement at all levels.
A further important finding is the need for inclusive peace-building
approaches. The extremist Hutu party, CDR, did not participate in the Arusha
peace process, and was later influential in undoing the Arusha Accords.
Similarly, some rebel groups fighting in the neighbouring DRC were exclud-
ed from the Lusaka framework for peace building. It is important that all
armed factions participate in peace building. This may require ongoing dia-
logue to address the hesitancy of some parties, and to reassure different fac-
tions of the necessity and long-term dividends of peace. Furthermore, gov-
ernments must be open to negotiation with different armed groups during