TRC reflection questions

1. Why do you think countries create truth and reconciliation commissions?

Taking in consideration that truth and reconciliation commission is a method of a transitional justice, I am guessing that the countries imply these methods in order to solve a conflict in a peaceful yet powerful way.

2. How are the commissions in these case studies similar?

In all of these case studies, I was able to notice that each one of them dealed with issues which included violence. Also, the Truth and Reconciliatino Commision (TRC) was mainly to clarify and investigate those human right values which have been violated and acts which may have caused the population to suffer.

3. How are the commissions different? Why do you think some are different than others?

Each commissions are different; or shall I say, 'unique'. What I think is that these commissions take on the influence of the nation's culture and beliefs. For example in Liberia, there was a TRC held with refugee population included in the proceedings, which has never occurred before anywhere in the world.

Also, I could notice that in some countires, the TRC needed to be 'enacted' by the president or the parliment; while in some other countries, those factors weren't mentioned.

4. Which of these commissions do you see as the most successful? Why?

If I had to choose one particular TRC, it would be the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. When I read the case study, the commission was very well organized and carefully planned; meaning that it was systematical. Also, I think the idead of including refugee populations in the proceedings is interesting, as there has not been a single TRC to imply this kind of factor in the past.

4. If you could go back and recreate one of the commissions, how would you change it?

For the TRC which occurred in the US, I would not have made the commission very 'public'. I think it was a mistake for the Greesnsboro residents to make the issue so 'well known/pulicized', as the commission faced fierece critism from the public.

5. What do you think is the value of a truth commission?

I think the value of a TRC would be peace and integrity. I say peace because this kind of commission has to run on 100% integrity, as it is meant to 'reveal', not 'create' past events. Also, peace is needed amongst the perepetrators and the victims to prevent outbreaks from happening.

6. What do you believe are the challenges in fulfilling the recommendations of a truth commission?

I think there are challenges for both the perpetrators and the victims. For the victims, overcoming and 'pressing' the feelings and emotions would be difficult. As for the perpetrators, the dificulty would be admitting all the negative deeds that they had yielded to the victims, as they would feel embarrased and cruel for themselves. Also, maintaining general peace in the atmosphere would be a big challenge.