Amiel Nubaha: Caux Scholar

Amiel Nubaha at CSP
Image credit : IofC Switzerland

Amiel Nubaha: Caux Scholar

Amiel Nubaha reflects on his Caux Scholars experience.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Refugee and scholar

Amiel Nubaha was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania, after his family had fled the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Later, he was educated in another refugee camp in Zimbabwe. In 2009, at the age of 14, he arrived in Australia with his parents and four siblings. Fast forward another 10 years, and in 2019, fulfilling his dream of higher education, he graduated with a double degree in Law and Criminal Justice from Griffith University in Queensland.

In 2019, Nubaha also took part in the Caux Scholars Program, which takes place every year during the annual IofC Caux Conferences. The program teaches students to identify and analyze conflicts, understand the factors that create and sustain conflicts, and use practical methods to diffuse conflicts. There is an active network of Caux Scholars alumni, comprising more than 1,000 people from 109 countries.

A new perspective

“Caux changed my perspective on peace building. In particular, the concept of non-violence resonated with me very much,” said Nubaha, of his experience in Switzerland. An active member of the Rwandan community in Brisbane, he feels that many in the community are experiencing inter-generational trauma and are resistant to the views of others.

With his newly-acquired perspective of ‘change without violence’ he now seeks to challenge the status quo in the community.

“Drawing on IofC’s focus on lifestyle and life choices, the values it promotes, and the practice of quiet time reflection, I feel called to invest in young people,” he said. “I want to encourage them to be change-makers and collectively work towards that vision of a future where there is a trust, peace and forgiveness.”

Speaking at a recent community dialogue at Griffith University, Nubaha expanded on this theme. “We all have our particular narratives.  The challenge is to provide alternatives to those narratives that will help heal the past,” he said. “More violence, taking up arms, is the result of impatience and frustration, but all it does is trap us in a cycle of violence and revenge. Nobody wins. It takes greater courage to reverse that cycle so that everyone wins.”

“Forgiveness…is what we need”

Nubaha believes there is a need to skill people up to become advocates for change and promote diversity of ideas. The opportunities for doing so are many, as he holds many community roles. Currently he serves as President of the Rwandan Association of Queensland, an organisation that focuses on meeting community needs and promoting cultural activities. He is also a member of the Queensland Youth Parliament and a member of the Multicultural Youth Queensland Council.  In 2019, he was one of three nominees for the 2019 Queensland Outstanding Young Achiever Award.

Asked what reversing the cycle of violence would mean, he said that, “To me this means forgiving wrongdoers before they ask. I’ve put my life at risk to advocate that, because forgiveness is vehemently opposed by some of my compatriots.  However, it is what we need.”

He concluded that, “Caux has been a life-changing environment for me. It has given me a new direction. A new pathway has opened to me and I look forward to seeing where it leads me.”