Commission de vérité et réconciliation Afrique

The Commission of Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) in South Africa was created by the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act of 1995 under the presidency of Nelson Mandela, who had come to power the previous year .

TRC  was a court-like restorative justice body assembled in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid .

The goal was to bear witness to, record and in some cases grant amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes relating to human rights violations, as well as reparation and rehabilitation. In its creation it was presided by Desmond Tutu .

is a South African Anglican archbishop who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Author of ubuntu theology of reconciliation, it was then the president of the Commission of Truth and Reconciliation.

The object of this commission for crimes and political exactions committed not only in the name of South African government but also the crimes and exactions committed in the name of national liberation movements

Victims should testify before the commission

This mechanism was not only to enable the development of a unit and a national history, but also as to enable to unveil the truth about the crimes which only the authors had knowledge

The report of the Commission of work lasted almost three years (1996-1998). The Human Rights Committee heard the testimony of 20,000 people. Its staff scoured the country to hear testimony from all those which presented themselves. Public sittings were held in 80 communities across the country.

The first hearing :April 15, 1996 and his works are extended for two years, chaired by Desmond Tutu. Some perpetrators of crimes were able to confess and repair the damage and many victims were able to forgive.

As for the members of the national liberation movement, a very large number of them have confessed to crimes, such Aboobaker Ismail organizer of the car bombing entrapped in Pretoria in 1983, in exchange for amnesty.

On 28 February 1997, the amnesty committee of the commission grants amnesty to 37 former leaders including Thabo Mbeki, and Aboobaker Ismail Dullah Omar (Minister of Justice). This amnesty causes outcry among former supporters of apartheid who grasp the High Court of Justice, which annuls the decision in May 1998.

A first report was made to President Mandela in October 1998.

The final report, published in 2002, contains 250 recommendations. Among these, a substantial repair policy provides for financing compensation for each victim, and the building of public monuments commemorating the suffering of victims.

The complete report in five volumes (about 4,000 pages) is accessible online and can be found in most bookstores, but it is still out of reach for the majority of South Africans.To date, no more accessible, shorter version was published. In addition, the report is published in English. Given that are 11 languages in South Africa, there is an important negligence.

The Commission's work has formally ended 31 December 2001.However, former members and employees of the Commission have continued to work the last two volumes in order to complete the report of activities focusing on the work of the Amnesty Commission and establish the list of eligible victims repairs.This task was completed in March 2002, when the Commission was disbanded after six and a half years of activity.

It is striking to note that the final report of the commission and its recommendations do not raise political support. To date, none of the recommendations were applied in the legislation.

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