Transitional justice in the shadow of the Arab Spring

from the article by Sarah Khatib on Muftah:

Whether recovering from the horrific realities of war or the effects of long-standing repressive regimes, societies often find themselves attempting to reconcile their past while safeguarding a better future.

Since the end of World War II, this struggle has become an increasingly important feature of the political transitions undertaken by post-conflict countries. 

Sep 20, 2012 Region:Middle East, National Reconciliation

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Why Iraq needs a court of truth and reconciliation now

from the article by Faris Harram in niqash:

Recently I read the arrest warrant that was issued against [Iraqi Vice President] Tariq al-Hashimi on Interpol’s website. It’s difficult to know whether the man is innocent or guilty and we will all have to wait until Iraqi courts issue a verdict. But reading the warrant made me think about the golden opportunity that Iraq after 2003, when the nation had the chance to really redress the cultural imbalances created during the rule of [former Iraqi leader] Saddam Hussein.  

When Hussein was caught and arrested very few Iraqis spoke out to suggest a reconciliation process. Such a process would have opened the door for Iraq’s elite - intellectuals, academics, sociologists, psychologists, economists and even clerics - to initiate a unique debate.

Jun 27, 2012 Country:Iraq, Region:Middle East, National Reconciliation

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The Jirga in modern day Afghanistan

from the article by Ali Gohar in OPen Democracy:

....The working principals of the Jirga are community based and fact finding; it acts like a modern jury system. The Jirga intervenes to halt violence, identify the issues in order to resolve them through mediation or arbitration, and work towards reconciliation and rehabilitation. The Jirga system could also be described in terms of the three aspects of peacekeeping, peacemaking, and peacebuilding, through the use of Tega (ceasefire), Nagha (ban on arms show), Community Policing (Arbakai) and volunteer force (Lakhkar).

Apr 18, 2012 Human Rights, Country:Afghanistan, Region:Middle East, National Reconciliation

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