Truth & Reconciliation Commission in Sa

1. Introduction South Africa for many years has been characterized by political oppression, racial segregation, and economic exploitation by the whites on non-whites. Africans have always played a role in challenging these conditions. As unrest spread and their efforts became more effective and militarized, the white government responded with repression and violence. This assignment examines the role of Truth and Reconciliation Commission and issues that concerns reconciliation in South Africa. I furthermore discuss the events of oppression and apartheid that occurred before South Africa was democratised in 1994. 2. What is Reconciliation? The South African society was faced with challenges such as racial and economic segregation in the apartheid era enforced by the National Party governments through their legislation. Apartheid or racial segregation played a very big part of South Africa’s history, this segregation and oppression brought issues ranging from torture to genocide by the white minority on blacks. After the end of apartheid the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established. This was a court-like body where the victims of violence could come forward and be heard. Reconciliation has been existent in many countries for centuries but South Africa adopted it as the centrepiece of transition to democracy (Tutu. 2007:1). Reconciliation is the attempt by different parties to work out their differences and remain as a unit. This is basically about the victims abandoning their “right” to retribution and opening the door of opportunity for their perpetrators or abusers to make a clean start in order to bring harmony. In my own view, I think the core of reconciliation lies in forgiveness, for people to reconcile, to eliminate the sources of conflict between them there has to be forgiveness. 3. South Africa’s history of oppression Oppression is defined by Gil (1998) as a mode of human relations involving domination and exploitation,

References: Boraine, A. 2000. Country Unmasked: Inside South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. England: Oxford University Press. Daly, E & Sarkin, J. 2007. Reconciliation in a Divided Society: Finding Common Ground. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania University Press. Freeman, M. 2006. Truth Commissions and Procedural Fairness. New York; Cambridge University Press. Gil, D. 1998. Confronting injustice and oppression: concepts and strategies for social workers, Columbia university press: New york Chichester: West sussex Moras, A. 2001. "Review Essay: A Country Unmasked: Inside South Africa 's Truth and Reconciliation Commission." Alaska Justice Forum 18(3): 2–3. South African history online < http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-trc> Accessed on 21 August 2012 Department of Justice. 1988. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report: vol 5. Pdf http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/report/finalreport/Volume5.pdf Accessed on 21 August 2012