The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa was formed by parliamentary legislation in December of 1995. It's purpose was to give the people and government of South Africa the chance to reach a mutual reconciliation. The apartheid had ended, but there were still wounds and feelings of unresolved anger. The TRC would give the victims of the apartheid (and the families of the victims) an opportunity to confront their former enemies come to terms with their violent past by exposing it to the core. The South Africa TRC was far from the first Truth commission in history. In Latin America especially governments have organized Truth commissions as a means of dealing with a country's brutal past. A truth commission would give members of both sides (both perpetrators and victims) the chance to reveal the truth about kidnapping, torture, and murder that had done such damage to their nation. To sight just one example, such corruption at the government level could be seen in Argentina in the 1970's. Several thousands were kidnapped and murdered under the junta military regime which received its orders from the government.
The families of the victims were never given an explanation for the "disappearances". In fact, the government later outright denied it's involvement in the kidnappings. Such an atmosphere (one in which the citizens of a country harbor fear and resentment of its government) is conducive to rebellions and other political demonstrations. It is for this reason that South Africa sought to create a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995.
[...] However, few people involved with the TRC expected that the truths revealed in the process would lead directly to reconciliation. The TRC seems to be at the very beginning of a long process of coming to terms with the South Africa's brutal past and its effects on the nation. All in all, it was able to extract a decent amount of truth of South Africa's bloody history. We must always confront our past so we are not condemned to repeat it. BIBLIOGRAPHY Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: Miracle or Model? [...]
[...] Lyn S. Graybill. Mar 2002. Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: Did the TRC Deliver? (Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights). Audrey R. Chapman and Hugo van der Merwe. Jan Unspeakable Truths: Transitional Justice and the Challenge of Truth Commissions by Priscilla B. Hayner. Aug 25, 2010. [...]
[...] The truth and reconciliation commission of South Africa The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa was formed by parliamentary legislation in December of 1995. It's purpose was to give the people and government of South Africa the chance to reach a mutual reconciliation. The apartheid had ended, but there were still wounds and feelings of unresolved anger. The TRC would give the victims of the apartheid (and the families of the victims) an opportunity to confront their former enemies come to terms with their violent past by exposing it to the core. [...]
[...] It is for this reason that South Africa sought to create a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995. In a number of individual cases, the TRC was successful in achieving its main objectives. As the TRC allowed, if someone were to come forward and reveal all his knowledge about a “gross human rights violation” and could provide a reasonable excuse as to his participation, he would be “pardoned” from all criminal charges. For this reason, knowledge of many violations were brought to light. [...]
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