The fall of the Taliban regime and establishment of a new and fragile government have made it possible to begin considering how to address Afghanistan's brutal history of conflict and human rights abuse. The needs of hundreds of thousands of victims, as well as the precarious security situation, will be particularly challenging.
Marieke Wierda has continued working closely with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) to prepare for a countrywide public consultation seeking the views of Afghan citizens on how they would like to address past human rights abuses. In the aftermath of 23 years of war, this is the first opportunity for many to express themselves on this issue.
The Center conducted a mission to Kabul in November 2003 to hold a workshop on transitional justice with AIHRC field office staff. In April 2004, a consultant traveled to a number of field offices to further assist the consultation effort. By June 2004, almost 4000 people had completed a survey and 200 focus group discussions had been conducted. The results of the consultation will be compiled in a report to be presented by the AIHRC to the government after the presidential election on October 9, 2004. The report is likely to make recommendations on the establishment of various transitional justice mechanisms. The ICTJ sought to build international support for these recommendations by organizing an international seminar in Berlin in March 2004, at which 50 experts strategized on how to advance justice and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
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