A/HRC/19/56/Add.1 24. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended that “the State party contemplate revising Law No. 18/2008 … with a view to making the definition of „the ideology of genocide‟ in article 2 more specific, and to include intention as one of the constituent elements of this crime listed in article 3, and thus to provide all the guarantees of predictability and legal security required of a criminal law and prevent any arbitrary interpretation or application of this law” (CERD/C/RWA/CO/13-17, para. 14). B. Institutional initiatives 25. The independent expert met with the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide created under the 2003 Constitution but active only since 2008. The mandate of the Commission requires it to, inter alia, design and implement strategies for fighting genocide and its ideology; coordinate remembrance activities and preserve memorial sites; and provide assistance to genocide survivors. Its mandate allows the Commission to undertake educational activities in schools and to work to preserve the memory of the genocide among new generations. 26. Ingando, a practice which originated in pre-colonial Rwanda, refers to ceasing normal activities in order to reflect on and find solutions to national challenges.12 The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission formally reintroduced Ingando as a tool to foster peaceful coexistence within post-genocide communities. The first participants were ex-combatants returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by students, genocide survivors, prisoners, community leaders and women. Ingandos are now carried out countrywide and frequently co-facilitated with communities. Ingandos entail participation at residential camps for up to two months‟ duration. Five central themes are: analysis of the country‟s problems; history; political and socio-economic issues; rights; obligations; and leadership. 27. Historically, Itorero ry’igihugu13 was a national educational and mentoring institution for leadership with lessons including history, philosophy, sociology, oral literature, ethics, theology, political and military sciences, law, and patriotism. In 2007, the Itorero system was reintroduced to encourage people from different social groups to discuss issues such as good governance, national unity, reconciliation, justice, economic development and social problems. Government officials state that more than 87,000 people have participated in this civic education and training. 14 Plans exist to extend the programme throughout the country. 28. The National Service of Gacaca Jurisdictions highlighted that the Rwandan judicial system was overwhelmed by the aftermath of the genocide and had itself been decimated. Over 120,000 prisoners alleged to have committed genocide needed to be processed through the conventional judicial system. The capacity to investigate and prosecute was severely limited. Confronted by the need to speed up the justice process, avoid impunity and find a solution that also contributed to strengthening unity and reconciliation, the Government looked to a traditional system of conflict resolution and participatory justice at the community level. The gacaca system was introduced and modernized in 2001.15 29. The Government highlights that, since gacaca courts commenced work in 2002, 1,211,412 cases have been tried and completed throughout the country. Emphasis was placed on confessions and reduced or community-based sentences were offered to those 12 13 14 15 See: http://www.nurc.gov.rw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=12 See www.nurc.gov.rw/reconciliation-tools/itorero.html. See http://allafrica.com/stories/201103210066.html. For more information, see www.inkiko-gacaca.gov.rw. 9