Traditional Justice & Reconciliation After Violent Conflict
International IDEA, 5 Feb 08:
Traditional Justice and Reconciliation after Violent Conflict: Learning from African Experiences
Quote:
....There have been too few systematic attempts to analyse and assess the role and impact of traditional mechanisms in post-conflict settings. This report aims to address this gap by examining the role played by traditional justice mechanisms in dealing with the legacy of violent conflict in five African countries—Rwanda, Mozambique, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Burundi. These case studies are used as the basis for outlining conclusions and options for future policy development.
The report is intended to serve both as a general knowledge resource and as a practitioner’s guide for national bodies seeking to employ traditional justice mechanisms as well as external agencies aiming to support such processes. It suggests that in some circumstances traditional mechanisms can effectively complement conventional judicial systems and represent a real potential for promoting justice, reconciliation and a culture of democracy. In addition, even in situations where communities are more inclined to demand straightforward retribution against the perpetrators, traditional justice mechanisms may still offer a way both of restoring a sense of accountability and of linking justice to democratic development.
At the same time the report also cautions against unrealistic expectations of traditional structures. It offers a sober, evidence-based assessment of both the strengths and the weaknesses of traditional conflict management mechanisms within the broader framework of post-conflict social reconstruction efforts.
Complete 224 page report at the link.
