Syria: a civil war (closed)

[TheCurmudgeon]

There is no such thing as a common Islamic culture IMHO; there is a very different priority or value given to human rights and justice.

I would disagree with your assumption, or at least caution against it. Our legal system is based in large part on values from a Christian tradition. Confession and forgiveness are an integral part of that tradition. What is expected under Sharia law may be completely different.

Also in the Arab culture in general is a tribal tradition. Certain tribal practices, particularly in blood feuds, would dictate that a death by any member of the offending tribe is good enough. For example, If you and I are a member of tribe Davidbfpo and I kill someone in tribe Dayuhan it is not necessary for tribe Dayuhan to find and kill me. Killing you, or any other random member of Tribe Davidbfpo satisfies the debt created when I killed a member of their tribe. This goes back to the idea that the tribe is the important entity, not the individual.

My point is that I would caution against assuming that their culture and value system would automatically recognize a Truth and Reconciliation model used elsewhere or that, in the end, it would have the desired effect of allowing the country to put that part of their past behind them and move forward together.