Justice in Transit: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in Latin America
2010-04-21
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Justice in Transit: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in Latin America
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2010-04-21
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Abstract
Human rights violations are occurring at an alarming rate and show no sign of
stopping. During the 20th Century governments ruthlessly mass murdered more
than four times the number of people killed in the 20th Century’s international and
civil wars combined. The enormity of these political injustices cannot be ignored.
Transitional justice seeks to redress gross human rights violations through a
range of institutional mechanisms after a period of state repression or armed
conflict. One such mechanism is a truth and reconciliation commission (TRC)
which undertakes the duties of restoring the dignity of victimized citizens,
establishing an accurate account of the past, creating a collective memory of
historical wrongdoing, and legitimizing the new political system. Knowing when
and why TRCs are most successful is not only essential to curbing future human
rights violations, but is also key to preventing TRCs from being established in
vain. Many Latin American nations have experienced violent governmental
repression and several of these nations established TRCs in response. This
research project analyzed the Latin American experience of TRCs and contends
that TRCs are best able to strengthen democracy, improve human rights
protection, and deter future violations if they meet two conditions: (1) the TRC
must be established within two years of the time period to be investigated and (2)
the TRC must be accompanied by some form of punishment, such as criminal or
human rights trials. Ultimately, this research project provides preliminary
prescriptions for policymakers who wish to know when, why, and how transitional
justice mechanisms are most effective.
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Additional contributor: Leigh Payne (faculty mentor).
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This project was sponsored by the University of Minnesota's Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP).
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Switala, Julian. (2010). Justice in Transit: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in Latin America. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/62060.
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