 |
| Image: Flickr User - Indi Samarajiva |
By Taylor Dibbert
Transitional justice in Sri Lanka will be a long, difficult process; awareness-raising is absolutely essential.
On January 29, I had the pleasure of attending a transitional justice workshop in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. The event was organized by the National Peace Council (NPC), a Colombo-based organization. Jehan Perera, executive director of the NPC, participated.
The workshop was led by Patrick Burgess, an Indonesia-based lawyer with deep knowledge of human rights and transitional justice. Burgess spoke about the four key parts of transitional justice: truth-seeking; prosecutions; reparations; and institutional reform. He emphasized the importance of taking a holistic approach.
While the sequencing of a country’s transitional justice process could be up for debate, Burgess reminded the audience that getting to the truth — actually figuring out what happened — will always be crucial. He also emphasized that every country is different and that it’s up to the Sri Lankan people to decide what type of transitional justice process would work for them.
Burgess spent some time talking about truth commissions and noted that South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is the most well-known example. Burgess is an engaging speaker and the material he presented provided some nuance and detail, yet his presentation was still quite accessible.
Read the full story at The Diplomat