AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. TRUTH COMMISSIONS AND CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. TRUTH COMMISSIONS AND CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
Author(s): Michael DeloachSubject(s): Education, General Reference Works, Business Economy / Management, Political Sciences, Studies in violence and power
Published by: Regional Department of Defense Resources Management Studies
Keywords: truth commissions; democratization; Civil-Military relations; transitional justice
Summary/Abstract: For societies suffering in the wake of a repressive regime, truth commissions may be a necessary compromise regarding the form of transitional justice pursued, but they can still play a far-reaching role in the democratization of civil-military relations. Because the perpetrators of past abuses are likely to continue to wield some level of power at the time of transition, prosecution of these members may be politically infeasible. Lacking the mandate to prosecute guilty parties or implement recommendations, truth commissions can still lay the foundation for a new era of civil-military relations. By distinguishing contemporary institutions from their past acts, revealing the patterns that allowed abuses to be carried out , and helping garner the political will for reforms, truth commissions can provide the impetus for the security sector reforms necessary to ensure a democratic future.
Journal: Journal of Defense Resources Management (JoDRM)
- Issue Year: 6/2015
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 7-12
- Page Count: 6
- Language: English
