Using critical discourse analysis, the indices of inter-ethnic post-conflict interaction in rural settlements can be identified through the linguistic and symbolic practices that reveal how communities negotiate reconciliation, power, and identity in everyday life. These include patterns of narrative framing (whether discourses emphasize shared suffering or perpetuate blame), lexical choices that signal inclusion or exclusion, discursive silences where certain atrocities or grievances are left unspoken, and dialogic exchanges in community forums, religious gatherings, or local markets that highlight shifting boundaries of trust and cooperation. Further indices include the reconstruction of social norms through proverbs, rituals, and collective memory, as well as the discursive rearticulation of space (e.g., how language marks territories as safe, neutral, or contested). Together, these indices reflect whether inter-ethnic interaction is moving toward genuine reconciliation and coexistence, or reproducing latent hierarchies and divisions under the guise of peace.