In the wake of violent conflict and mass atrocity, there are many contending demands, including those for peace and stability, and those for accountability and punishment. Much ink has been spilled in debating “justice versus peace”. Two key trends in peacebuilding and transitional justice may clash with one another in particular: the prevalence of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs and the increased emphasis on victim-centred approaches to peacebuilding
This policy paper encapsulates the key findings of a
research project undertaken by the Centre on Human
Rights in Conflict (CHRC) of the University of East
London School of Law on rule of law in African countries
emerging from violent conflict, funded by the British
Academy. The CHRC commissioned a range of experts
and practitioners from around the world to examine and
assess contemporary international efforts at promoting
rule of law reform in peacebuilding operations and
development assistance. Country studies examined in
depth the experiences of a number of African countries—
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia,
Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Sudan—while thematic
studies examined rule of law as part of peacebuilding in
comparative perspective, the role of traditional justice, and
specific aspects of rule of law in the African context. These
studies will be published as a book entitled Just Peace?
Peacebuilding and rule of law in Africa.
Peacebuilding and transitional justice are both multifaceted processes, which although
often treated as if they were in opposition, may actually involve shared goals and
activities. This brief outlines several points policymakers should consider when
implementing programmes and formulating policies for conflict-affected countries
Following contested elections in Kenya in December 2007, unrest and violence shook the country in January and February 2008, prompting diplomatic intervention by the international community, most notably by the former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. A negotiated solution put in place a power-sharing deal between the two main parties contesting the presidential election: the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the Party of National Unity (PNU)