Truth and Reconciliation Commission

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This is about the South African body. For similar bodies in other countries, see List of truth and reconciliation commissions.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a court-like body assembled in South Africa after the end of Apartheid. Anybody who felt they had been a victim of violence could come forward and be heard at the TRC. Perpetrators of violence could also give testimony and request amnesty from prosecution. The hearings made international news and many sessions were broadcast on national television. The TRC was a crucial component of the transition to full and free democracy in South Africa and, despite some flaws, is generally - though not universally - regarded as successful.

1 Creation and Mandate
2 Committees
3 Findings
4 Impact
5 Criticisms
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Creation and Mandate

The TRC was set up in terms of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No 34 of 1995, and was based in Cape Town. The mandate of the commission was to bear witness to, record and in some cases grant amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes relating to human rights violations, reparation and rehabilitation. The TRC had a number of high profile members: Archbishop Desmond Tutu (chairman), Dr Alex Boraine (Deputy Chairperson), Mary Burton, Advocate Chris de Jager, Bongani Finca, Sisi Khampepe, Richard Lyster, Wynand Malan, Reverend Khoza Mgojo, Hlengiwe Mkhize, Dumisa Ntsebeza (head of the Investigative Unit), Wendy Orr, Advocate Denzil Potgieter, Mapule Ramashala, Dr Faizel Randera, Yasmin Sooka and Glenda Wildschut.

[edit] Committees

The work of the TRC was accomplished through three committees:

Human Rights Violations (HRV) Committee investigated human rights abuses that took place between 1960 and 1994.
Reparation and Rehabilitation (R&R) Committee was charged with restoring victims' dignity and formulating proposals to assist with rehabilitation.
Amnesty Committee (AC) considered applications for amnesty that were requested in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

In theory the commission was empowered to grant amnesty to those charged with atrocities during Apartheid as long as two conditions were met: The crimes were politically motivated and the entire and whole truth was told by the person seeking amnesty.

No one was exempt from being charged. As well as ordinary citizens, members of the police could be charged and, most notably, members of the African National Congress, the ruling party at the time of the trial, could also be charged.

5392 people were refused amnesty and 849 were granted amnesty, out of 7112 petitioners (there were a number of additional categories, such as withdrawn).

[edit] Findings

The commission brought forth many witnesses giving testimony about the secret and immoral acts committed by the Apartheid Government, the liberation forces including the ANC, and other forces for violence that many say would not have come out into the open otherwise.

On October 28, 1998 the Commission presented its report, which condemned both sides for committing atrocities.

[edit] Impact

Due to the perceived success of this approach to dealing with human-rights violations after extensive political change, other countries have instituted similar commissions, though not always with the same scope or the allowance for charging of those currently in power.

Various films have been made about the commission:

The documentary Long Night's Journey Into Day (2000)

The South African feature film Forgiveness (2004) directed by Ian Gabriel and featuring Arnold Vosloo as a disgraced ex-cop seeking forgiveness from the family of the activist he killed under the Apartheid regime. Also starring Quanita Adams and Zane Meas.

Red Dust (2004), based on the novel of the same title by Gillian Slovo, starring Hilary Swank, Jamie Bartlett and Chiwetel Ejiofor

In My Country (2004), very loosely based on Country of My Skull, a novel by Antjie Krog, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche

Also Zulu Love Letter (2004) directed by Ramadan Suleman and starring Pamela Nomvete.

[edit] Criticisms

A 1998 study by South Africa's Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation & the Khulumani Support Group[1], which surveyed several hundred victims of human rights abuse during the Apartheid era, found that most felt the TRC had failed to achieve reconciliation between the black and white communities. Most felt that justice was a prerequisite for reconciliation rather than an alternative to it, and that the TRC had been weighted in favour of the perpetrators of abuse.

[edit] See also

The Soviet policy of glasnost was similarly created to deal with past atrocities.
The German policy of Vergangenheitsbewältigung is commonly compared to truth and reconciliation
Truth commission about truth commissions in general