Social Reconciliation pp. 296-302

Social Reconcilation How do we as Christians confront the shattering experiences of crimes and acts of violence in our community and throughout the world? acts of terrorism, interracial wars, state sponsored violence etc. South Africa’s Apartheid, Argentina’s “Dirty War”, ethnic cleansing in the Balkans between 1991-1997, the Holocaust etc.

How do we stop these crimes against humanity and God? 1) Stop the violence. Warring factions are often caught in a cycle of revenge and bloodlust. Help from outside is usually needed to break the cycle of violence. The United Nations and other member of the international community are often relied upon to initiated intervention.

How do we stop these crimes against humanity and God? 2) Reinstall the rule of law and the structures of justice. Sometimes it means making changes in the army and police so people can have confidence in them and feel secure. The culprits of violence need to be isolated and brought to justice. Victims need public recognition (restoration of self- esteem)

Restorative Justice It is a processes that brings together victims, offenders and the community in order to repair the harm and promote harmony. It emphasizes healing the harm caused by crime by means of naming the truth and making amends personally.

For the offender: Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for the harmful behaviours in a meaningful way: To gain insight in the causes and effects of that behaviour on others To change that behaviour To be accepted back into the community.

For the victim: The process give the victim a forum to ask questions, receive answers, gain understanding, explain the impact of the crime on them, and contribute to the outcome of the process. The victim can thereby receive and apology, restitution, services, reparations and find closure.

For the Community The offence is not a private act, but an offence against the community – reconciliation and restitution are the responsibility of the victim, offender and community. It requires healing between the victim and offender, restoration of the victim to a state of peace, rehabilitation of the offender, and restoration of unity in the community.

Restorative justice has its roots in many of the religions of the world It is a spiritual process focusing on repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. In Canada, our First Nations people have the practice of “healing circles”. We need to go beyond retributive justice and move toward restorative justice.

Reconciliation Commissions Between 1950-1990, South Africa enforced Apartheid, a policy of racial separation. Nelson Mandela was arrested and imprisoned for 27 years for his armed uprising against the apartheid government in 1964. When he was released in 1990, he was elected President of South Africa.

Both Mandela and the National Party (who initiated Apartheid), wanted to end the violence but this could not happen without dealing with the atrocities of the Apartheid era. In 1995, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began with the mission to get at the truth of the suffering for the victims and to provide amnesty under certain conditions for the perpetrators.

For the victims: Victims presented their accounts of what happened in an attempt to restore personal and civil dignity while honouring the victims. Any reconciliation process must allow victims to speak and be heard. This helps to reclaim dignity of the victims but also serves to help bring about changes in society through laws and policies. Victims also must have a right to financial compensation for the losses they incurred because of the state’s actions.

For the perpetrators: Amnesty was granted to the perpetrators. This was controversial as many feared this would make a mockery of the justice system. This was done in the interest of national unity and to provide a way for the perpetrators to enter into the process of reconciliation. All the hearings were televised. Perpetrators provided detailed accounts of what they did, their background and motives (their crimes had to be clearly politically motivated).

Please view these clips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdNhCkcOMYE  Truth and Reconciliation Commission addressing residential school system http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thefAVqR26E  Info about Truth and Reconciliation Commissions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx4ExrPT8Wg  Restorative Justice talk by Natalie DeFreitas

“No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness” Pope John Paul II Read pg. 301 in the text