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Master Thesis MASTER THESIS Titel der Master Thesis / Title of the Master‘s Thesis „An African Perspective on Truth and Reconciliation Commissions with Focus on the South African Commission“ verfasst von / submitted by Ambrose Abejide Olowo angestrebter akademischer Grad / in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) Wien, 2017 / Vienna 2017 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt / A 992 628 Postgraduate programme code as it appears on the student record sheet: Universitätslehrgang lt. Studienblatt / International Legal Studies Postgraduate programme as it appears on the student record sheet: Betreut von / Supervisor: emer. o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Neuhold i DEDICATION TO THE LOVING AND DELIGHTFUL MEMORIES OF JOSEPH SUNDAY AJOMO AND MATTHEW AND THERESA OLOWO Never to be forgotten! ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..i Table of Contents… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ….ii Acknowledgements… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..v INTRODUCTION… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...1 I. Background of Study… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..1 II. Hypothesis and Research Questions… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...2 III. Aim and Significance of Study… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...2 IV. Methodology… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .4 V. Limitations of Study… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .4 CHAPTER ONE: THE NOTION OF UBUNTU AND THE AFRICAN CONCEPT OF JUSTICE… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...5 I. Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 5 II. Clarification of Concept… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 6 III. Comparable African Concepts… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …7 IV. Significance of Ubuntu to the African Concept of Justice … … … … … … … … … …10 V. Conclusion… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …14 CHAPTER TWO: GENERAL OVERVIEW OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSIONS… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …16 I. Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …16 II. Defining the Truth (and Reconciliation) Commissions… … … … … … … … … … … 19 III. General Features of Truth (and Reconciliation) Commissions… … … … … … … … ..21 IV. Contrasting Features of Truth (and Reconciliation) Commissions… … … … … … … .26 V. Conclusion… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...30 CHAPTER THREE: OVERVIEW OF THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSIONS IN AFRICA… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..32 I. Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …32 II. Central Africa… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 33 a. Chad… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …33 iii b. Democratic Republic of Congo … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 35 III. East Africa … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …37 a. Burundi… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …37 b. Ethiopia… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …39 c. Kenya… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 40 d. Rwanda… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …42 e. Uganda… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …44 III. North Africa… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 47 a. Algeria… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 47 b. Morocco… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …47 IV. Southern Africa… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 49 a. Mauritius… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 49 b. South Africa… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 51 c. Zimbabwe… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 52 V. West Africa… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …54 a. Cote d’Ivoire… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 54 b. Ghana… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 56 c. Liberia… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 57 d. Nigeria… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 60 e. Togo… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …62 f. Sierra Leone… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 64 VI. Conclusion… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …66 CHAPTER FOUR: THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE … … … … … … … … … … … … 68 I. Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …68 II. Objectives of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission… … … … … … 68 III. Achievements of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission… … … … …72 IV. A Critique of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission… … … … … …78 V. The Implementation of the Report of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its Consequences on the South African Society… … … … … … … … … 84 VI. Conclusion… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …93 iv CHAPTER FIVE EVALUATION OF THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION AND THE JUDICIAL APPROACHES… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 95 I. Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …95 II. Areas of Divergence… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 95 III. Areas of Convergence… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 105 IV. Conclusion… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 107 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS… … … … … … … … … … … … … 109 BIBLIOGRAPHY… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …117 ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 124 ABSTRAKT (GERMAN VERSION) … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 125 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Nothing good comes easy, so goes the popular saying. Achieving this feat was not an easy task but the difficult mission was made lighter with the aid of some to whom I remain indebted. To this end, I give glory to the Almighty God for His sustenance and providence, without His favours, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the good health of mind and body to accomplish this task. To my supervisor em. o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Neuhold, who painstakingly accompanied me on this journey, I remain eternally grateful. I learnt so much from you. To the dedicated and internationally renowned lecturers, the dutiful programme manager and my colleagues, I am grateful for your roles in making this programme of study worth the experience and cost. I remain eternally grateful to my bishop, Martin Olorunmolu for his prayerful and material support. The warmth and encouragement of my brother priests in the presbyterium of Lokoja Diocese and beyond is noteworthy, without neglecting the care from other religious and laity. No story of my accomplishment can be told without mentioning the filial love I enjoy from all members of my dear family. Thanks for your love, support and care. I cherish all those who made obtaining requisite documents from Nigeria for the admission process possible: P. Ebunilo for the transcript and other logistics in Jos; Prof. P. Oche and Justice E. Egwu for writing the letters of recommendation; J. Ogunleye for logistics in Lokoja. I treasure B. Okolie, P. Eseyin, I. Okafor and Chuks who offered necessary assistance during course of the study; without forgetting all the authors, whose books and articles I utilised in the course of this research. I am indebted to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Gemeinden aus Afrika und Asien (ARGE AAG) and by extension the Archdiocese of Vienna, for providing me the platform to actualise this dream in Vienna. I acknowledge the financial support of my very dear brother, Henry Omonisaiye, CMF, who muted the idea of the Austrian excursion and supporting me without relenting, and others whose financial contributions assisted me to pay the challenging financial cost of this study: B. Pelc, H. Kupetz (Wolfgang, Erni and Trixi), E. Tiale, V. Koledoye. The Mass stipends from the SMA Irish Province and the Dominican Sisters, Vienna were valuable. The intermittent contributions of E. Kourik, M. Pilwa and E. Stummer are eternally treasured. To many others who may have been left out of the list, it is not deliberate. I remain eternally grateful to you all: mentioned or not mentioned. May God in His infinite mercy reward you all. Ambrose Abejide Olowo 1 INTRODUCTION I. Background of Study Africa as a continent has witnessed different forms of injustices and varying repressive governments before and after colonialism which have subjugated many people to different cruel acts and exposed them to social ills such as: slavery, bad leadership, ethnic and religious conflicts, civil wars, labour and other forms of economic repressions, and exploitation leading to human rights abuses, repressive and brutal acts against human dignity and sexual abuse and other violations. Such events leave many victims in the wake of the inhuman and unjust treatments. Some victims don’t live to seek justice. While some are killed immediately, some others are tortured to death and they die leaving behind dependants, family members and loved ones, who suffer because of the loss of a dear one. Some are lucky to survive but some survivors bear ugly scars to remind them in perpetuity of their abuse, many are left disabled and can no longer fend for themselves, thereby becoming liabilities to their families. Efforts have been made in the past to bring perpetrators to justice and heal the wounds of the survivors, who are able to participate in this process. The process of healing the wounds, harms and hurts of these victims have varied. There have been various efforts to heal the wounds of victims and bring perpetrators to justice. The conventional way to punish perpetrators for their crimes is to prosecute them through criminal trials; another is the constitution of truth
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