Truth and Reconciliation in Sub-Saharan Africa : Transitional Justice in South Africa, Sierra Leone and Rwanda

Abstract: The Sub-Saharan African countries of South Africa, Sierra Leone and Rwanda have recently gone through post-conflict political transitions where one of the main dilemmas is how to deal with the past. The three countries have all opted for a transitional justice mechanism that involves truth-telling in order to address past abuses, and with the prospect of reconciliation. The objective of this study is to compare the truth-telling process in relation to the political and social structures of each country and their possible prospects for reconciliation and democratic consolidation. The theoretical framework of transitional justice is applied to the cases to analyze the role of state structures in the truth-telling mechanisms. The study concludes that the accomplishment of a truth-telling mechanism is dependent on the state's political support and capacity in initiating the process, exercising its mandate and implementing its recommendations. Truth-telling mechanisms can then distinguish the patterns of past abuse in flawed state structures, recommend institutional reform, and in this way contribute to reconciliation and democratic consolidation. The study concludes that the prospects for reconciliation and democratic consolidation are slim in Rwanda, dependent on international initiatives in Sierra Leone, but seem hopeful for South Africa.