Truth commissions
Many countries that have experienced periods of civil war and/or dictatorship resulting in mass human rights abuses have established ‘truth commissions” as part of a process of building peace, reconciliation and democracy.
Truth commissions vary considerably but have in common an effort to establish an historical record of the repression and atrocities that were committed, usually including through gathering the testimony of victims and their families. They are not akin to a criminal trial, but many truth commissions do publish the names of both those who suffered and those who were responsible for the suffering.
View these slides that explain the purpose and functioning of truth commissions, prepared by the International Centre for Transitional Justice:
Consider – are there circumstances under which a Truth Commission could, in your view, legitimately be an alternative to the criminal punishment of the perpetrators of mass atrocity? If so, what sort of circumstances, and if not why not?
Keep your reflections on these questions in mind as you complete the last section of this module and engage in the discussion exercise.