Suchergebnisse

Between 1980 and 2000, Peru suffered an armed conflict, massive human rights violations, and the destruction of its democracy. Since then, peace and a return to democracy have allowed it to embark on transitional justice. This has meant a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, prosecutions, and reparations. It has also meant controversy over the rights of those accused of terrorism and the legacies of military impunity. This book examines Peru's struggle to restore human rights accountability and the political factors that have shaped its fate.

While scholars have focused on the rise of political "outsiders" to the presidency, human rights actors can also take advantage of the window of opportunity produced by regime change as a means of inserting themselves into the state in order to achieve crucial elements of their agenda. The Peruvian case indicates how a human rights network did so from 2000 to 2001, quickly implementing such aspects of their agenda as overturning amnesty laws, holding a truth commission, and initiating prosecutions for members of the armed forces implicated in human rights violations. It also demonstrates some of the long-term obstacles to maintaining the momentum for reform.