In December 2002, a peace deal to end "Africa's First World War" was signed in Pretoria, South Africa. A transitional government was established in July 2003, and elections are due to be held by June 2005. The creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the establishment of an international criminal tribunal have been envisaged in the peace accords. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened his first official investigation into crimes committed in the DRC.
Since March 2003, Federico Borello has provided comments on draft TRC legislation and traveled to Kinshasa to hold workshops and consultations with local groups, the UN, and international NGOs. The Center continues to stress the importance of widespread consultation, as well as the need to appoint independent commissioners with a commitment to human rights.
The ICTJ has been working with local civil society groups to enhance their ability to formulate sophisticated transitional justice policies and lobby effectively for their implementation.
In January 2004, the ICTJ held an international workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss transitional justice options for the DRC. Congolese government officials and civil society representatives, UN officials, the prosecutor of the ICC, international NGO representatives, and experts discussed prosecutions, truth-seeking initiatives, and possible legal and institutional reform measures to advance justice during the transition. In the fall of 2004, the ICTJ will publish a policy paper on transitional justice options, analysis, and recommendations for the DRC to move forward.
The Center also received a request to provide advice on vetting as the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) and the Congolese government consider vetting in the context of police reform, although this mechanism might be applied to other institutions, as well. The ICTJ has also advised MONUC and other members of the international community on issues relating to the truth commission and prosecutions.
Links to Reports
A First Few Steps: The Long Road to a Just Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo | En Français (October 2004)
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