International Justice: UN tribunals, the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission
International Justice: UN tribunals, the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Author(s): Ivana Janů
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Criminal Law, International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Recent History (1900 till today), History of Communism, Fascism, Nazism and WW II
Published by: Ústav pro studium totalitních režimů
Keywords: UN Tribunal; transitional justice; South Africa; reconciliation; Truth Commission;
Summary/Abstract: A society in a moral crisis, whose origins lie in an authoritarian, totalitarian regime from the recent past, cannot be healed unless it holds a mirror up to itself. Above all it must ask itself what relationship it actually has with the past. Consequently, it is not enough for it to be about documents based on the opinion of specialists and professional analysts such as intellectuals. The opinion of the majority should ensue from a relatively sophisticated survey of public opinion, which would distinguish what direct participants in the period of national history that is being examined think and how young people are informed about it. Naturally, information on the standard of history teaching at primary and secondary schools should also be added to this. Only then is it possible to effectively influence the convictions of society with a view to restoring the values that were destroyed by the previous regime.

• Details
• Contents