Background: As part of the Peacebuilding Practitioners Interview Series, Jason Klocek interviewed Kazuyuki Sasaki, a Japanese expatriate living in Rwanda since 2005, who is currently the planning and development officer for REACH Organization in Rwanda. In this interview, Sasaki speaks about REACH's work in Rwanda promoting restorative justice. He also discusses how his previous career in development work piqued his interest in reconciliation and peacebuilding.
Mr. Sasaki, can you first speak about your background and how these experiences have brought you to your current work in Rwanda?
I have now been living in Rwanda with a focus on reconciliation work for more than three and a half years. However, I first came to Africa to work in the field of international development, which I did for quite a long time in Ethiopia—from 1988 to 1992 and then again from 1996 to 2000. During that time I worked with a faith-based relief and development organization called Food for the Hungry. During the interval period, I completed a master of professional studies degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
My work in Ethiopia was in the agricultural sector, mainly rural development. However, living in Ethiopia I was always exposed to conflict. Everyone there was touched by the civil war that ended in 1991 and then the Ethiopian-Eritrean war from May 1998 to June 2000. It seemed to me that during my time in Ethiopia there was always some conflict situation.
Of course, my work with Food for the Hungry was supposed to be strictly development, and we had to be careful of our statements and actions. Basically we needed to remain apolitical to remain working in the country. However, our work was always affected by the violence and conflict. How could you do successful development work under such conditions? Gradually I became more and more disillusioned with the work I was doing, especially as I witnessed or heard with increasing frequency about the human rights abuses occurring in the country. Still, if I wanted to continue to work with Food for the Hungry, I needed to remain silent and not protest against the war. This was particularly hard when we heard about the young people that were enlisted and forced to fight in the war.
All of this made me think seriously about the issues of war and peace, as well as how I could do something personally to change the situation in Ethiopia. I started to read the literature on reconciliation and peacebuilding, especially those books written by John Paul Lederach, and I gradually came to the realization that I couldn't continue doing the type of work I was doing in Ethiopia.
It is ironic that my own personal growth also mirrored a change in international development work. In the 1980s, development work was almost exclusively apolitical, but a decade later the connection between human rights and development was being made by more and more organizations.
Did your faith play a role in your decision to shift from development to reconciliation work?
Especially during the last two years I was in Ethiopia I found myself going through a process in which I was trying to discern God’s will in my life. I remember hearing the bombers at night and the frustration of not knowing what has happening. Who was being killed tonight? Finally I had to ask myself: should I remain in Ethiopia and continue my development work, or do something more directly related to peace building? After much prayer and reflection I decided to leave Ethiopia in 2000 and return to school so that I could focus more on peace and conflict studies.
How did you come to select the Ph.D. program in peace studies at the University of Bradford?
I knew that I didn’t want to go back to the United States. I enjoyed my time there when completing my MPS, but I wanted to live in a different country. I had heard of the University of Bradford and its good reputations, so I applied and was accepted there. I should also note that I had an idea already back then that I wanted to work in Rwanda. Since I was still in Africa, I completed a short field visit to the country before moving to the United Kingdom. Two things were clear to me on that visit. First, the people in Rwanda faced so many challenges; I was shocked. Second, it was abundantly clear to me during that visit that most of the reconciliation work was being done by faith-based organizations, such as Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, and others.
When I started my coursework at the University of Bradford I knew that I wanted to research and write my dissertation on the role of NGOs and FBOs in reconciliation efforts, and I thought that I would include multiple case studies, one of which would obviously be Rwanda. However, as I got more into my studies I came to realize that I really wanted to focus exclusively on Rwanda. I also completed several visits to do some preliminary research. During that time I heard so many stories from victims—both victims of the genocide and also victims of Rwandan Patriotic Front reprisals. Then in 2005 I came to work with REACH and do my final research and writing of the dissertation.
Will you continue to stay in Rwanda after you complete your dissertation?
When I went back for my Ph.D., I knew that my studies were a way to prepare me to go back into the field, so in a way it is not surprising that I have been here so long and want to remain for much longer. You know, after hearing so many testimonials from people I have become even more inspired to assist in the reconciliation efforts here.
Can you talk about how you came to know of and then work with REACH?
I came to know of REACH when I was studying in the United Kingdom. As Philbert most likely told you, he created a U.K.-based group to support his work in Rwanda and raise funds. So when I was making one of my preliminary visits in 2001 the wife of my pastor—the pastor of the Baptist church I attended in the United Kingdom—knew Philbert and put us in touch. Then in 2003, when I was making plans to come back and work for a longer period of time, I was looking at various faith-based organizations and liked what REACH was doing. It was important to have a local partner, not just to learn from their experience, but it was also necessary so as to procure a visa and proper documents to stay longer. So Philbert and I were able to work out an agreement where I would assist REACH and also conduct my own research.
What are your responsibilities now at REACH?
My official title is planning and development officer, but originally I proposed that I should be the research and development officer. However, many people in Rwanda interpret the term “research” as unproductive, so the title is what it is now. As for my responsibilities, I mainly help with planning—short, middle and long-term—and in the design and development of new programs primarily focused on restorative justice issues. On top of these responsibilities, I have also been helping to link REACH with various donors. I myself am not paid by REACH; rather, I receive funding from the Japanese Baptist Convention and an international support group of friends and colleagues that donate to my work. I have now also been able to link REACH with one NGO in Japan. I am looking for other connections, including some academic links.
To say a bit more on the planning side of things, one thing I have done is introduce the organization to more long-term strategic planning. Shortly after I came, we created a five-year plan, 2005 to 2010. This was the first time that the organization had put down all of their ideas in a systematic way so as to assess their goals and capacity.
As for our programming, we have a new restorative justice pilot project that brings confessed perpetrators together with victims to build homes. The perpetrators build the homes as a way of paying reparations, and the victims assist and/or provide meals for the builders as they work. For many victims, this is first contact they have ever had direct contact with those who killed someone in their family.
These projects can also be very risky, can’t they?
Of course, but my arrival to Rwanda coincided with a large number of prisoners being released. Plus many other perpetrators were sentenced to community work by the gacaca courts. This was an obvious issue therefore that had to be addressed. And the pilot project is just one small attempt. There is much more to do.
In addition, we don’t just go into a community and start building. We introduce the program gradually, and then we hold seminars to discuss community concerns. This helps to not overwhelm people and not make them feel as if the process is being forced on them.
Mr. Sasaki, thank you very much for your time today.
I have now been living in Rwanda with a focus on reconciliation work for more than three and a half years. However, I first came to Africa to work in the field of international development, which I did for quite a long time in Ethiopia—from 1988 to 1992 and then again from 1996 to 2000. During that time I worked with a faith-based relief and development organization called Food for the Hungry. During the interval period, I completed a master of professional studies degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
My work in Ethiopia was in the agricultural sector, mainly rural development. However, living in Ethiopia I was always exposed to conflict. Everyone there was touched by the civil war that ended in 1991 and then the Ethiopian-Eritrean war from May 1998 to June 2000. It seemed to me that during my time in Ethiopia there was always some conflict situation.
Of course, my work with Food for the Hungry was supposed to be strictly development, and we had to be careful of our statements and actions. Basically we needed to remain apolitical to remain working in the country. However, our work was always affected by the violence and conflict. How could you do successful development work under such conditions? Gradually I became more and more disillusioned with the work I was doing, especially as I witnessed or heard with increasing frequency about the human rights abuses occurring in the country. Still, if I wanted to continue to work with Food for the Hungry, I needed to remain silent and not protest against the war. This was particularly hard when we heard about the young people that were enlisted and forced to fight in the war.
All of this made me think seriously about the issues of war and peace, as well as how I could do something personally to change the situation in Ethiopia. I started to read the literature on reconciliation and peacebuilding, especially those books written by John Paul Lederach, and I gradually came to the realization that I couldn't continue doing the type of work I was doing in Ethiopia.
It is ironic that my own personal growth also mirrored a change in international development work. In the 1980s, development work was almost exclusively apolitical, but a decade later the connection between human rights and development was being made by more and more organizations.
Did your faith play a role in your decision to shift from development to reconciliation work?
Especially during the last two years I was in Ethiopia I found myself going through a process in which I was trying to discern God’s will in my life. I remember hearing the bombers at night and the frustration of not knowing what has happening. Who was being killed tonight? Finally I had to ask myself: should I remain in Ethiopia and continue my development work, or do something more directly related to peace building? After much prayer and reflection I decided to leave Ethiopia in 2000 and return to school so that I could focus more on peace and conflict studies.
How did you come to select the Ph.D. program in peace studies at the University of Bradford?
I knew that I didn’t want to go back to the United States. I enjoyed my time there when completing my MPS, but I wanted to live in a different country. I had heard of the University of Bradford and its good reputations, so I applied and was accepted there. I should also note that I had an idea already back then that I wanted to work in Rwanda. Since I was still in Africa, I completed a short field visit to the country before moving to the United Kingdom. Two things were clear to me on that visit. First, the people in Rwanda faced so many challenges; I was shocked. Second, it was abundantly clear to me during that visit that most of the reconciliation work was being done by faith-based organizations, such as Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, and others.
When I started my coursework at the University of Bradford I knew that I wanted to research and write my dissertation on the role of NGOs and FBOs in reconciliation efforts, and I thought that I would include multiple case studies, one of which would obviously be Rwanda. However, as I got more into my studies I came to realize that I really wanted to focus exclusively on Rwanda. I also completed several visits to do some preliminary research. During that time I heard so many stories from victims—both victims of the genocide and also victims of Rwandan Patriotic Front reprisals. Then in 2005 I came to work with REACH and do my final research and writing of the dissertation.
Will you continue to stay in Rwanda after you complete your dissertation?
When I went back for my Ph.D., I knew that my studies were a way to prepare me to go back into the field, so in a way it is not surprising that I have been here so long and want to remain for much longer. You know, after hearing so many testimonials from people I have become even more inspired to assist in the reconciliation efforts here.
Can you talk about how you came to know of and then work with REACH?
I came to know of REACH when I was studying in the United Kingdom. As Philbert most likely told you, he created a U.K.-based group to support his work in Rwanda and raise funds. So when I was making one of my preliminary visits in 2001 the wife of my pastor—the pastor of the Baptist church I attended in the United Kingdom—knew Philbert and put us in touch. Then in 2003, when I was making plans to come back and work for a longer period of time, I was looking at various faith-based organizations and liked what REACH was doing. It was important to have a local partner, not just to learn from their experience, but it was also necessary so as to procure a visa and proper documents to stay longer. So Philbert and I were able to work out an agreement where I would assist REACH and also conduct my own research.
What are your responsibilities now at REACH?
My official title is planning and development officer, but originally I proposed that I should be the research and development officer. However, many people in Rwanda interpret the term “research” as unproductive, so the title is what it is now. As for my responsibilities, I mainly help with planning—short, middle and long-term—and in the design and development of new programs primarily focused on restorative justice issues. On top of these responsibilities, I have also been helping to link REACH with various donors. I myself am not paid by REACH; rather, I receive funding from the Japanese Baptist Convention and an international support group of friends and colleagues that donate to my work. I have now also been able to link REACH with one NGO in Japan. I am looking for other connections, including some academic links.
To say a bit more on the planning side of things, one thing I have done is introduce the organization to more long-term strategic planning. Shortly after I came, we created a five-year plan, 2005 to 2010. This was the first time that the organization had put down all of their ideas in a systematic way so as to assess their goals and capacity.
As for our programming, we have a new restorative justice pilot project that brings confessed perpetrators together with victims to build homes. The perpetrators build the homes as a way of paying reparations, and the victims assist and/or provide meals for the builders as they work. For many victims, this is first contact they have ever had direct contact with those who killed someone in their family.
These projects can also be very risky, can’t they?
Of course, but my arrival to Rwanda coincided with a large number of prisoners being released. Plus many other perpetrators were sentenced to community work by the gacaca courts. This was an obvious issue therefore that had to be addressed. And the pilot project is just one small attempt. There is much more to do.
In addition, we don’t just go into a community and start building. We introduce the program gradually, and then we hold seminars to discuss community concerns. This helps to not overwhelm people and not make them feel as if the process is being forced on them.
Mr. Sasaki, thank you very much for your time today.
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