1. Collective victimisation in post-conflict situations:
XI International Symposium on Victimology
Stellenbosch, July 13-18, 2003
Collective victimisation in post-conflict situations:
in search of a restorative justice approach
for countries in transition
Kris Vanspauwen
Prof. Dr. S. Parmentier and Prof. Dr. E.G.M. Weitekamp
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

2. Collective victimization in post-conflict situations
Past century: numerous violent conflicts – Balint: 220 conflicts, 87 million deaths
Conflicts: armed conflicts, civil wars, ethnic conflicts, (post-)colonisation, state divisions, national liberations, apartheid regimes, religious conflicts, oppressive (authoritarian) regimes, etc.
Societal problem

3. Defining “collective victimization”
“victimization directed at, or affecting, not only individuals but also whole groups. In some cases the groups are very diffuse, the members have nothing or not much in common, and the group is not targeted as a specific entity. More often, however, the acts of victimization are directed against a special population” (Fattah, 1991)

4. Collective victimization and redress
Empirical studies: enormous gap between the data of victimization and redress that has been addressed in these situations.

6. Collective victimization and redress
Societal problem
Intense debate: how successor regimes should confront a legacy of violence and abuse of power

7. Dealing with the past Dominant voices: punishment vs. amnesia models
Third way: reconciliation, truth commissions
Growing interest in this field has lead to a new discipline called “transitional justice”

8. Defining “transitional justice”
“Transitional justice has been characterized as the study of the choices made and the quality of justice rendered when states are replacing authoritarian regimes by democratic state institutions. In almost all of these regimes gross violations of human rights took place.” (Siegel, 1998)

9. Victims and transitional justice
Trend of liberalisation: economic and political motives
Victims’ concerns overlooked
In search for holistic approach
TRC: first attempt to incorporate restorative justice
Scientific research: restorative justice vaguely discussed

10. Restorative justice rediscovered
Rediscovery of traditional and informal forms of justice and dealing with (criminal) conflicts
Dominant model of criminal justice in human history for perhaps all the world’s people

11. Merits of restorative justice
Merits of informal modes of dispute resolution doubted - confusion subject matter
Literature is practice-based
Several definitions of restorative justice. There is consensus on following definitions

12. Defining “restorative justice”
“Restorative justice is a process whereby parties with a stake in a specific offence resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offence and its implications for the future (Marshall, 1996)”
“Restorative Justice is every action that is primarily oriented towards doing justice by repairing the harm that has been caused by the crime (Bazemore and Walgrave, 1999)”

13. Key principles Bringing victims and offenders together
Focusing on the harm that has been caused by crime
Holding perpetrators responsible for their acts
Meeting the needs for victims’ redress
Promoting the reintegration of both victims and perpetrators
Preventing future harm by building on the strengths of the community and government

14. Rethinking restorative justice concepts
Key principles in post-conflict situations?
State as perpetrator, political crimes?
Universal jurisdiction on gross human rights violations, war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
Human rights focus on broader issues
Broaden up the scope of restorative justice, beyond the level of personalised and common crimes

15. Transitional justice developments
End of 20th Century: different strategies and judicial mechanisms were being developed:
Domestic criminal courts
International ad-hoc tribunals (Rwanda, Yugoslavia)
International criminal court (The Hague)
Mixed tribunals (East Timor, Siera Leone)
Truth Commissions (Guatemala, Chile, South Africa)
Mixed approach: truth commission & (international) tribunals

16. Future challenges
Truth commissions bear the most restorative justice potential since they make an attempt to:
Bring victims and perpetrators together
Hold perpetrators accountable
Challenges:
Include ALL stakeholders together
Meet victims’ needs
Reintegration of victims and perpetrators
Build stronger communities and governance

17. Framing truth commissions within the restorative justice theory
Empirical data somewhat validated normative research.
Restorative justice model: Social Discipline Window, Stakeholder Needs, Restorative Justice Typology.
This model is based on restorative justice practices like: victim-offender mediation, family group conferencings, etc.
This model ends up to be impractical to frame transitional justice processes.

18. Social Discipline Window
Restorative justice as a collaborative approach
to resolve problems intended to reintegrate and repair

19. Stakeholder Needs
Those affected by the crime must regain their sense of autonomy - empowerment

20. Restorative Justice Typology
The extent to which all stakeholders are involved in meaningful emotional exchange and decision-making.

21. Transitional justice and the social discipline window
One approach: not most desirable?
Mixed approach: trials – mediation – truth commission – compensation funds ...
Braithwaite’s restorative regulation pyramid?
TRC: amnesty rule: no apology, no sign of remorse was necessary. permissive instead of restorative approach

22. Transitional justice and the restorative regulation pyramid
Post-conflict situations (Braithwaite, 2002)

23. Transitional justice and the stakeholder needs
Identify stakeholders: very few people not affected
Limited definition of victims: victims of gross human rights violations
TRC: huge amount felt disappointed and felt neglected – victims of every day apartheid policies, victimised combatants, victims of structural violence, displaced and forcedly removed people, ...

24. Transitional justice and the stakeholder needs
TRC: ongoing violent conflicts between IFP and ANC were denied – IFP as important stakeholder not fully included in the TRC
TRC: beneficiaries not heavily involved so structural evil of apartheid not considered. Social unjust practices continue to some extent after the transition.

25. Transitional justice and the stakeholder needs
Post-conflict situations

26. Transitional justice and the restorative justice typology
The meaningful victim-perpetrator encounter shows to be of invaluable importance
Victim’s input, decision making
TRC: imposition of views and frameworks on victims – hearings were often structured, directional

27. Transitional justice and the restorative justice typology
TRC: victims no key player in amnesty hearings – feelings of anger and retribution should get an important place in the process
TRC: lack of knowledge on victims’ expectations beforehand, background, motivations ... Difficult to assess the restorativeness
TRC: amnesty rule – missed chance, perpetrators could have made personal contribution to restoration victim’s well-being

28. Transitional justice and the restorative justice typology
Post-conflict situations

29. Towards a restorative transitional justice?
Truth commission no “second best” solutions
Despite the critical analysis, truth commissions can be shaped into restorative justice mechanisms
No general conclusions yet
Taking into account the following sensitivities:
The history of the conflict;
The culture of the nation and its conflicting parties;
The politics of the conflict;
The specific context in which the conflict occurred.

30. Towards a restorative transitional justice?
A Restorative Justice Model for successful transitions will risk jeopardising the restorative potentials that are present in every culture or society
South Africa followed his own road towards reconciliation
However it will be a catalyst for other societies!

31. Towards a restorative transitional justice?
Restorative approach counterforce to imposing Western cultural values and norms(retributive justice) and mechanisms (trials)
Restorative justice is about understanding and dealing with root causes of mass violence
Restorative justice is about dealing with the real harm found in broken families, destroyed communities, refugees and internatlly displaced people, every day life.
Therefore limit ourselves to selective trials and rediscover our restorative capacities on the road towards reconciliation.