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for the country to implement. The
Commission therefore had to determine who would benefit from a reparations programme. The Commission determined the category of beneficiaries by considering those victims who were particularly vulnerable because of the human rights violations they had suffered and the harm that they continued to live with.
246:
for the victims of the Sierra
Leonean conflict. Such a program is difficult to create as there are a number of victims on both sides of the conflict, as well as a number of different crimes committed by both sides. Because of this, the commission had to determine who would benefit from a reparations
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examines various truth commissions, one of which is the commission for Sierra Leone. One of her main criticisms of the report was the government's inability to enact many of the commission's recommendations. The "government was required to submit public quarterly reports on the actions it had taken
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The commission also recommended the implementation of a more modern human rights culture in which all "Sierra
Leoneans respect each other's human rights, without exception." Therefore, the creation of a new constitution was also recommended. In the commission's words: "A Sierra Leone that is united
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The Truth and
Reconciliation Commission Act of 2000 requires any commission to make recommendations concerning the reforms and measures needed to achieve the object of the commission. These recommendations are crucial in order to promote the healing process for the nation after the conflict. In the
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In designing a reparations programme for the victims of the Sierra
Leonean conflict, the Commission had to take into account a number of factors. It would have been gratifying if all victims of the conflict could benefit from a reparations programme but such a programme would be totally impossible
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Hayner also points out a common criticism facing many truth commissions; the need for "social forgetting". Many citizens in Sierra Leone felt that social forgetting was crucial to the process of healing and reconciliation. Unfortunately, many citizens were not able to simply forget, as they were
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The leadership of the
Revolutionary United Front and the Government of Sierra Leone are responsible for either authorising or instigating human rights violations against civilians. They also stand accused of failing to stop such atrocities, and for failing to acknowledge the occurrence of these
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The central cause of the war was endemic greed, corruption and nepotism, which deprived the nation of its dignity and forced its citizens into poverty. The commission calls upon all members in the private sector to work together and usher in a new culture of ethics and to fight the "scourge of
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The commission found that due to a lack of visionary leadership, there was no one to steer the country away from its slide into chaos and civil war. Because of this, the commission called on leaders from all levels of Sierra
Leonean society to commit themselves to employing better forms of
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is inalienable. This right should be upheld in terms of national and international law. It is the reaching of the wider truth through broad-based participation that permits a nation to examine itself honestly and to take effective measures to prevent a repetition of the
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The aims of the commission were to establish "an impartial historical record of violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law related to the armed conflict in Sierra Leone from the beginning of the
Conflict in 1991 to the signing of the
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It is important to note that the TRC Act did not explicitly use the term "reparations". Instead, they were instructed to "address the needs of the victims," and restore the human dignity of victims" as well as "promote healing and reconciliation."
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case of the Sierra Leone commission, the reparations are aimed at the "building of a new Sierra Leone based on the values of human dignity, tolerance and respect for the rights of all persons." The main recommendations of the commission were:
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Children aged between ten and 14 years were especially targeted for forced recruitment. Girls between the ages of ten and 14 were targeted for rape and for abuse as sexual slaves. These women were also tortured and suffered cruel and inhumane
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The conflict and post-independence period preceding it represent the most shameful years of Sierra Leone's history. This conflict reflects an extraordinary failure of leadership individuals amongst the government, society, and
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Due to a severe lack of governmental accountability, democracy and the rule of law had ceased to exist. Therefore, the commission recommended that Sierra Leone must strengthen its institutions of accountability.
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Contrary to popular belief, the exploitation of diamonds did not cause the conflict in Sierra Leone. However, various factions targeted diamondiferous areas in order to gain wealth to support their war
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The Sierra Leone civil war was characterized by indiscriminate violence. It broke long-standing rules, defiled cherished traditions, sullied human respect and tore apart the very fabric of society.
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To investigate and report on the causes, nature, and extent of violations and abuses to the highest possible degree in order to determine a proper course of action for reconciliation purposes.
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107:, to respond to the needs of the victims, to promote healing and reconciliation and to prevent a repetition of the violations and abuses suffered." The commission was chaired by Bishop
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A major task of the TRC was to interview victims on both sides of the conflict and report on what they found. The commission reported a number of findings, including:
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To address impunity, to respond to the needs of the victims, to promote healing and reconciliation, and to prevent a repetition of the violations and abuses suffered.
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The commission's mandate was to "provide a degree of accountability for human rights abuses committed during the conflict." Below is a brief summary of its mandate.
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To help restore the dignity of the victims, and to provide an opportunity for healing and reconciliation between the victims and those who carried out the abuses.
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The central cause of the war was endemic greed, corruption, and nepotism that deprived the nation of its dignity and reduced its citizens to a state of poverty.
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to fulfill the recommendations." The government made slow but eventual progress in the implementation of the commission's recommendations.
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The commission also strove to give special attention to victims of sexual abuse and to children who were either victims or perpetrators.
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To construct an impartial historical record of violations and abuses of human rights during the armed conflict in Sierra Leone.
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Government accountability was non-existent, and the institution designed to uphold human rights was co-opted by the executive.
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pressured into making official statements to the commission regarding their experiences during the Civil War.
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around clear constitutional rights, values and principles has a promising future."
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Witness to Truth: Report of the Sierra Leone Truth and
Reconciliation Commission
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Unspeakable Truths: Transitional
Justice and the Challenge of Truth Commissions
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Unspeakable Truths: Transitional Justice and the Challenge of Truth Commissions
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74:, signed on July 7, 1999, which was intended to end the civil war in
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The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created as part of the
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Unspeakable Truths: Facing the Challenge of Truth Commissions,
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Both sides of the conflict specifically targeted civilians.
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section of the Truth Commission is aimed at creating a
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corruption which saps the life-force of Sierra Leone."
442:"Our Interview of the Month with Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff"
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Copy of Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Report
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Hon. Justice Laura Marcus-Jones - Deputy Chairperson
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67:, that lasted 11 years, leaving over 50,000 dead.
487:Other relevant documentation on Sierra-Leone.org
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78:. This accord was signed by then President
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63:government. This attempt resulted in the
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514:Sierra Leone TRC Official Website
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771:Yugoslavia (Federal Republic of)
601:Democratic Republic of the Congo
392:. New York: Routledge. pp.
113:United Nations Security Council
1:
418:"Sierra Leone TRC - Foreword"
59:, attempted to overthrow the
51:began on March 23, 1991. The
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384:Hayner, Priscilla (2011).
84:Revolutionary United Front
53:Revolutionary United Front
31:, which ended the 11-year
755:United States of America
730:Timor-Leste (East Timor)
143:The commissioners were:
149:Joseph Christian Humper
109:Joseph Christian Humper
43:Background and creation
27:created as part of the
818:Sierra Leone Civil War
422:www.sierraleonetrc.org
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82:and the leader of the
65:Sierra Leone Civil War
49:Sierra Leone Civil War
474:Hayner, Priscilla B.
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176:Professor John Kamara
792:Transitional justice
502:TRC recommmendations
360:www.sierra-leone.org
115:on October 5, 2004.
101:Lomé Peace Agreement
813:Law of Sierra Leone
296:Priscilla B. Hayner
244:reparations program
182:Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff
164:Yasmin Louise Sooka
55:, supported by the
19:The Sierra Leone's
226:right to the truth
173:Ajaratu Satang Jow
80:Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
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550:Truth commissions
403:978-0-415-80635-0
72:Lomé Peace Accord
29:Lomé Peace Accord
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61:Joseph Momoh
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35:conflict in
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716:South Korea
691:Philippines
626:El Salvador
271:leadership.
240:Reparations
234:Reparations
217:atrocities.
807:Categories
759:Greensboro
571:Bangladesh
451:2024-06-11
427:2024-06-11
365:2016-04-07
307:References
287:Criticisms
157:Professor
151:- Chairman
739:2005–2008
734:2001–2005
721:Sri Lanka
666:Mauritius
646:Guatemala
614:2003–2011
609:1990–1991
566:Argentina
33:civil war
596:Colombia
247:program.
221:efforts.
188:Findings
105:impunity
751:Ukraine
746:Tunisia
671:Morocco
661:Liberia
636:Germany
621:Ecuador
576:Bolivia
558:Country
197:public.
147:Bishop
726:Taiwan
696:Rwanda
681:Panama
605:Chile
586:Canada
581:Brazil
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86:(RUF)
23:was a
676:Nepal
656:Kenya
651:Haiti
641:Ghana
229:past.
213:acts.
686:Peru
631:Fiji
591:Chad
398:ISBN
238:The
224:The
47:The
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