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Abstract
The legacies of mass violence can, if left unaddressed, fuel future conflicts. Transitional justice seeks to address the legacies of large-scale past abuses. Despite the sensitive nature of transitional justice and recognition that initiatives can adversely influence conflict-affected contexts, there has been limited attempt to extend the application of conflict sensitivity to transitional justice. Conflict sensitivity is an approach and tool to help aid actors to understand the unintended consequences of aid and to act to minimise harm and achieve positive outcomes. Transitional justice initiatives can exacerbate tensions by replicating existing tensions; introducing resources that become a struggle for control; or challenging power and vested interests. This article argues that conflict sensitivity should be applied to transitional justice; and identifies tools and factors that could contribute to conflict sensitive transitional justice. They include promoting: broad-based participation; resonance with local actors; social cohesion; public outreach; collaboration with other sectors; and appropriate sequencing.
Notes
1. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peace-building’.
2. Vinjamuri and Snyder, ‘Law and Politics’.
3. Fletcher and Weinstein, ‘Violence and Social Repair’.
4. Halpern and Weinstein, ‘Empathy and Rehumanization’; Bar-Tal et al., ‘Collective Emotions in Conflict Situations’; Ajdukovic and Corkalo, ‘Trust and Betrayal in War’.
5. Ibid.
6. Kelman ‘A Social-Psychological Approach’.
7. Ibid.
8. Colletta and Cullen, The Nexus between Violent Conflict.
9. Bar-Tal and Bennink, ‘The Nature of Reconciliation’; Colletta and Cullen, The Nexus between Violent Conflict; Halpern and Weinstein, ‘Empathy and Rehumanization’.
10. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
11. United Nations Security Council, The Rule of Law, 4.
12. Lambourne, ‘Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding’, 35.
13. Lederach, Building Peace, 20.
14. Mani, Beyond Retribution.
15. Skaar, ‘Reconciliation in a Transitional Justice Perspective’.
16. Leebaw, ‘The Irreconcilable Goals’.
17. Oduro, What Do We Understand by ‘Reconciliation’, 2–3.
18. Bloomfield, ‘Reconciliation: An Introduction’, 12.
19. See Chapman, ‘Approaches to Studying Reconciliation’; Halpern and Weinstein, ‘Empathy and Rehumanization’; Rodicio, ‘Restoration of Life’.
20. Thoms et al., ‘State-level Effects of Transitional Justice’.
21. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
22. Nagy, ‘Transitional Justice as Global Project’; Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
23. This section is drawn from previously published work: Haider, Conflict Sensitivity: Topic Guide. The production of this guide was funded by the Department for International Development.
24. OECD-DAC, Helping Prevent Violent Conflict, 23.
25. Brown et al., Conflict Sensitivity Consortium Benchmarking Paper.
26. Uvin, Aiding Violence.
27. Wallace, From Principle to Practice.
28. See Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
29. Anderson, Do No Harm.
30. Ibid.
31. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
32. Ibid.
33. Reychler, ‘Humanitarian Aid’.
34. OECD-DAC and CDA Collaborative Learning Projects, ‘Encouraging Effective Evaluation’.
35. Manning and Trzeciak-Duval, ‘Situations of Fragility and Conflict’.
36. Bush, Aid for Peace.
37. Manning and Trzeciak-Duval, ‘Situations of Fragility and Conflict’.
38. Goldwyn and Chigas, Monitoring and Evaluating Conflict Sensitivity.
39. Ibid.
40. Woodrow and Chigas, A Distinction with a Difference.
41. Goodhand, ‘Working In and On War’.
42. Vinjamuri and Snyder, ‘Law and Politics’.
43. Sancho, Development Trends; Edwards, Integrating Human Rights; Thoms et al., The Effects of Transitional Justice Mechanisms; Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
44. Rodman, ‘Justice as a Dialogue’.
45. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
46. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
47. Thoms et al., The Effects of Transitional Justice Mechanisms.
48. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
49. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
50. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
51. Beristain et al., ‘Psychosocial Effects of Participation’.
52. Brounéus, ‘Truth-telling as Talking Cure?’.
53. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
54. Beristain et al., ‘Psychosocial Effects of Participation’.
55. Ibid.
56. Sivac-Bryant, ‘The Omarska Memorial Project’.
57. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice; Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
58. Sancho, Development Trends; Arthur, Identities in Transition; Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
59. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice; Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
60. Valji, ‘Tensions Between Peace and Justice’.
61. Philipson, ‘Working in Conflict Contexts’.
62. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’; Gready and Robins, ‘From Transitional to Transformative Justice’; Mani, Dilemmas’ of Expanding.
63. Lubanga No.: ICC-01/04-01/06 Date: 25 April 2012.
64. Friedman and Jillions, ‘The Pitfalls and Politics’.
65. Ottendoerfer, ‘Conceptualising the “Implementation Gap”’.
66. Ibid.
67. Illiff et al., Adverse Consequences.
68. Balasco, ‘The International Criminal Court’.
69. Dworkin, International Justice.
70. Ibid.
71. Lenzen, ‘Roads Less Traveled?’.
72. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights; Arthur, Identities in Transition.
73. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
74. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights; World Bank, Report on Development.
75. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
76. World Bank, Report on Development.
77. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’; Andrieu, ‘Rehumanizing Peacebuilding’.
78. Andrieu, ‘Rehumanizing Peacebuilding’; Arthur, Identities in Transition.
79. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
80. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
81. World Bank, Report on Development; De Grieff, ‘Articulating the Links’.
82. De Grieff, ‘Articulating the Links’.
83. Ibid.
84. Duggan, ‘Editorial Note’.
85. De Grieff, ‘Articulating the Links’.
86. This section is drawn from previously published work: Haider, Conflict Sensitivity: Topic Guide. The production of this guide was funded by the Department for International Development.
87. Sivac-Bryant, ‘The Omarska Memorial Project’.
88. Friedman and Jillions, ‘The Pitfalls and Politics’.
89. See Kayser-Whande and Schell-Faucon, ‘Transitional Justice and Conflict Transformation’; Arthur, Identities in Transition; Thoms et al., The Effects of Transitional Justice Mechanisms; Murithi and Hudson, United Nations in Africa; Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
90. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
91. Ibid.
92. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity; Petřík, ‘Does Aid Alleviate Violent Tensions’; APFO et al., Conflict-sensitive Approaches.
93. Marthaler and Gabriel, Manual: 3 Steps for Working.
94. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
95. Ibid.
96. Arthur, Identities in Transition; Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
97. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
98. UK InterAgency Group on Rights, ‘Putting it All Together’.
99. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
100. Engelstad et al., Do No Harm in Somalia.
101. Marthaler and Gabriel, Manual: 3 Steps for Working.
102. Engelstad et al., Do No Harm in Somalia.
103. CDA, Do No Harm.
104. Goddard, Do No Harm and Peacebuilding.
105. Bush, A Measure of Peace.
106. Garred and Goddard, Do No Harm in Mindanao.
107. Bush, Aid for Peace.
108. Bornstein, ‘Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment’.
109. Bush, A Measure of Peace.
110. Haider, Conflict Sensitivity: Topic Guide.
111. Manning and Trzeciak-Duval, ‘Situations of Fragility and Conflict’.
112. CECORE et al., Water and Conflict.
113. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights; Valji, ‘Tensions Between Peace and Justice’.
114. UK InterAgency Group on Rights, ‘Putting it All Together’.
115. Taylor, Victim Participation.
116. Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
117. Ibid.
118. Sigsgaard, Conflict-Sensitive Education Policy.
119. Stamm, Conflict Dimensions.
120. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
121. Kelsall, cited in Friedman and Jillions, ‘The Pitfalls and Politics’.
122. Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
123. Taylor, Victim Participation.
124. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights; Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
125. Arthur, Identities in Transition; Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
126. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
127. UK InterAgency Group on Rights, ‘Putting it All Together’.
128. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
129. Sancho, Development Trends; O’Rourke, ‘Dealing with the Past’.
130. Sancho, Development Trends.
131. O’Rourke, ‘Dealing with the Past’.
132. Bah, ‘Young People’s Advocacy’.
133. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
134. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
135. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
136. Ahmed, ‘Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment’.
137. Valji, ‘Tensions Between Peace and Justice’.
138. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
139. World Bank, Report on Development.
140. World Bank, Report on Development; Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
141. World Bank, Report on Development.
142. Ibid.
143. World Bank, Report on Development; Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’; Valji, ‘Tensions Between Peace and Justice’.
144. Valji, ‘Tensions Between Peace and Justice’.
145. Ibid.
146. World Bank, Report on Development.
147. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
148. Ibid.
149. Bonacker, ‘Transitional Justice and Victim Participation’.
150. Sivac-Bryant, ‘The Omarska Memorial Project’.
151. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
152. Čehajić-Clancy et al., ‘Social-Psychological Interventions’.
153. Arthur, Identities in Transition; Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
154. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
155. Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
156. Burde, ‘Weak State, Strong Community?’; Pickering, ‘Generating Social Capital’.
157. Goldwyn, Making the Case for Conflict Sensitivity.
158. Andrieu, ‘Civilizing Peacebuilding’.
159. UNDP BiH, The Ties that Bind.
160. UNDP, Post-Conflict Economic Recovery.
161. Goddard, Do No Harm and Peacebuilding.
162. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
163. Arthur, Identities in Transition; Haider, ‘Social Repair in Divided Societies’.
164. Sancho, Development Trends; Arthur, Identities in Transition.
165. Haider, Transitional Justice.
166. Ibid.
167. Garbett, ‘Transitional Justice and “National Ownership”’.
168. Ibid.
169. Murithi and Hudson, United Nations in Africa—and could this contribute to tensions?
170. Hoffman, PCIA Methodology.
171. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights.
172. World Bank, Report on Development; Thoms et al., The Effects of Transitional Justice Mechanisms.
173. Balasco, ‘The International Criminal Court’.
174. Ibid.
175. Haider, ‘(Re)imagining Coexistence’.
176. Ruwanpathirana, Memorialisation for Transitional Justice.
177. Edwards, Integrating Human Rights.
178. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
179. World Bank, Report on Development.
180. Haider, Transitional Justice.
181. Barsalou, Trauma and Transitional Justice.
182. Arthur, Identities in Transition.
183. World Bank, Report on Development.