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"This book considers the relative utility of "thin sympathy" through the lens of Uganda, where conflict and division have festered for more than half a century. The book proposes a hypothesis that suggests that the development of even a very rudimentary understanding among individuals from each of the different factions and groups-of what has happened, of the basic facts of the other's suffering-could be the necessary condition for promoting not just peaceful coexistence but a society's ability to move forward together. And although many assume that this understanding already exists, the author's work and the work of others has clearly demonstrated that there is a significant gap in that kind of perception across different groups. In Uganda, for example, very few people know much of anything about what happened in Northern Uganda between the government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army, and they know still less about the difficult experiences of northerners during the conflict. In fact, there is little cross-group knowledge between the 65 different ethnocultural groups of each other's experiences. Getting past that knowledge gap would allow them to at least understand why something like transitional justice might be necessary"--

Human rights violations leave deep scars on people, societies, and nations. Rights groups argue that resolving past violence is necessary for a peaceful future. But how can nations ensure that instruments of transitional justice are the best path to reconciliation? This book develops a theoretical framework - a framework of acknowledgement - to evaluate truth commissions. Analysis of the difficulties encountered and the ultimate failure of truth commissions in Uganda and Haiti reveals that acknowledgement of past violence - by both victims and perpetrators - must come before goals such as forgiveness and social cohesion if reconciliation is to be achieved.

'Reconciliation(s)' considers the definition of the concept of reconciliation itself, focusing on the definitional dialogue that arises from the attempts to situate reconciliation within a theoretical and analytical framework

'Reconciliation(s)' considers the definition of the concept of reconciliation itself, focusing on the definitional dialogue that arises from the attempts to situate reconciliation within a theoretical and analytical framework.

The literature is replete with grand claims about the ability of transitional justice and its attendant mechanisms to produce any number of effects, including democracy and human rights, and other, broader educative and pedagogic results. Yet little has been done in the way of testing or substantiating these claims, and their validity should be questioned. This paper considers four cases, Canada, Haiti, Solomon Islands, and Uganda, to see whether cross-regional patterns and practices exist, and whether a transitional justice "effect" can be observed.

This contribution traces the importance of traditional institutions in rehabilitating societies in general terms and more particularly in post-independence Uganda. The current regime, partly by inventing 'traditional' cultural institutions, partly by co-opting them for its own interests, contributed to a loss of legitimacy of those who claim responsibility for customary law. More recently, international prosecutions have complicated the use of customary mechanisms within such societies. This article shows that some traditional and cultural leaders continue to struggle to restore their original institutions, some having taken the initiative of inventing new forms of engaging with society. Uganda is presented as a test case for the International Criminal Court's ability to work with traditional judicial institutions in Africa. Adapted from the source document.

The question of how societies might reach some kind of truth or reconciliation is complicated in post-conflict societies, where physical and social devastation is obvious. Yet in so-called "settler" societies, evidence of that kind of devastation, including the gross violation of human rights and blatant abuse, along with the lasting impact of that abuse, remains invisible to many, as outlined by the authors who have contributed to this special edition.

Getting to peace is not a straightforward process. In Uganda, internal conflict has raged for more than 20 years between the Government & the Lord's Resistance Army. The construction of a comprehensive negotiated settlement is at the mercy of conflicting ideologies & influences at the international, national & grassroots levels. This paper examines the Juba peace talks, the major actors in the negotiation process, & tension between prosecution & amnesty. Adapted from the source document.