In Focus

What is the Role of Truth Commissions in Peace Processes in Africa?The African Union, the Kofi Annan Foundation and ICTJ opened a high-level conference examining the role of truth commissions in peace processes. The two-day conference, titled “Truth Commissions and Peace Processes in Africa,” has gathered senior staff from the African Union and member states as well as international and national experts to reflect on lessons learned from truth commissions that have emerged from peace processes in Africa and other continents.

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AFRICAIn the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ICC approved the domestic trial of Congolese warlord Germain Katanga. In South Sudan, the UN has established a three-person commission to inquire into human rights abuses. Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested again for participating in an unlawful procession after being released from house arrest. In Mali, top military commander Souleymane Keita was arrested for his alleged role in the seizing of northern Mali in 2012. Burundi, plagued by violence and killings since April 2015, now welcomes UN police intervention. In Kenya, the ICC has abandoned its case against William Ruto, the country’s deputy president who was accused of orchestrating post-electoral violence in 2007.

AMERICASIn Colombia, peace talks were announced between Colombia and the National Liberation Army guerrilla group. Colombian army general Henry Torres was arrested for his role in the killing of civilians ten years ago. In Argentina, U.S. President Barack Obama honored Dirty War victims and criticized the United States’ hesitancy to condemn the human rights abuses that occurred during Argentina’s dictatorship. An aboriginal community in Canada declared a state of emergency when five aboriginal children attempted to commit suicide in one night. In Mexico, a panel of international experts found that the government hampered the investigation into the 43 students who disappeared in the city of Iguala on September 26, 2014.

ASIAIn Sri Lanka, the UN will support genuine consultations with victims and groups affected by the country’s conflict. In Nepal, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s demand of documents from the National Human Rights Commission sparked debate over the trustworthiness of the TRC. Meanwhile, questions persist around the CIEDP’s ability to deliver restorative justice. Nepalese conflict victims are demanding that transitional justice bodies act effectively to bring about justice. InMyanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi assumed a new post “above the president” to solidify her power. Under her new government, many political prisoners were freed and two were jailed. In Indonesia, activistsurged the government to hold a truth and reconciliation process over massacres of 500,000 suspected communists during the 1960s.

EUROPEIIn Serbia, Vojislav Seselj, a Serbian nationalist, was acquitted by the Hague Tribunal. The UN tribunal’s prosecutor will appeal the acquittal. Following Seselj’s acquittal & the sentencing of Radovan Karadžić last month, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic criticized the Hague tribunal for failing to punish war crimes in Kosovo. Meanwhile, Russian authorities are refusing to extraditeBosnia war crimes suspect Ratko Susnjar back to Bosnia and Herzegovina to face charges. A court inFrance has just ruled to extradite Radomir Susjnar, another Bosnian war criminal, back to Bosnia and Herzegovina to face prosecution.

MENAUN-sponsored Syrian peace talks stalled as opposition negotiators delayed their participation in the formal process until officials representing President Bashar al-Assad agreed to discuss a transitional government, which they have so far refused to do. Meanwhile, peace talks aimed at ending civil war in Yemen failed to get off the ground as delegates representing the country’s Houthi rebels refused to attend. In Egypt, crackdowns on human rights defenders have escalated according to a report from a Cairo-based NGO. In Libya, the new U.N.-backed unity government will soon move into ministry buildings in Tripoli, despite the volatile security situation. On April 13, Lebanon commemorated the 41st anniversary of the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war. On this occasion, officials focused on the need to turn the page and emphasized the importance of reconciliation and the need to reinforce civil peace in order to guarantee non-recurrence of the war.

Publications

The Case for Action on Transitional Justice and DisplacementThis briefing paper calls on the international community to use the time and presence of refugees to help shape the outcomes of crises while they are ongoing.

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Challenging the Conventional: Can Truth Commissions Strengthen Peace Processes?This joint report by ICTJ and the Kofi Annan Foundation explores common assumptions about why truth commissions are created in the wake of armed conflict and what factors make them more likely to succeed – or fail.

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Impunity Watch

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Author: Impunity Watch Archive