African Truth Commissions and Transitional Justice

de John Perry, T. Debey Sayndee

"African Truth Commissions and Transitional Justice examines the functioning of truth commissions in Africa, outlining the lessons learned, best practices,and successes and failures of seven African truth commissions. Perry and Sayndee delve into the history surrounding these African truth commissions and place their significance within the growing contemporary academic field of transitional justice. The first African truth commission was convened by the despot Idi Amin for reasons unrelated to the defense of human rights, but despite this ambiguous beginning, other African truth commissions have done important work in this area. The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 1996 has become the gold standard for future truth commissions not only in Africa but throughout the world- it unearthed much truth about the apartheid era abuse of human rights and took vital first steps toward restorative justice in the Republic. Just as each nation faces unique transitional challenges, each truth commission is aptly distinctive. Thus, African Truth Commissions and Transitional Justice not only discusses the commonly studies South African truth commission but also brings to light six other, lesser known truth commissions - and an attentive reader will notice the suggestive patterns that emerge"--Unedited summary from book cover.