AFTER VIOLENCE: 3R, RECONSTRUCTION, RECONCILIATION ...

- trying reconciliation perpetrator-victim, in the same room,
religiously with a priest, psychologically with a psychologist;
- organizing restitution, also from perpetrator, when possible.
The experience seems to be that the ANC confess violence, but
as it is mainly against things, they have less to confess. The top
people of the apartheid regime are silent, or plead ignorance.
Lower ranks come forward and confess. Victims who want to know
who higher up gave the order meet massive silence. But be that as
it may. Sooner or later the conspiracy of silence will break.
South Africa has broken new paths in the practice of
jurisprudence, in seeing a crime both as a relation perpetrator-
victim, and a relation perpetrator-God/State/public.
And that leads us to an afterthought. War is a breach of the
UN Charter Article 2(4); and postmodern warfare is mainly directed
against civilians. When do we get the tribunals after any war
when the victims meet their torturers, not only the small foot
soldiers but top military and civilian commanders, not only in
small countries, but also in the big? And when will presidents,
prime ministers and generals apologize? If the South African
miracle could happen, so will this, some day.
In conclusion, why did all of this work out so much better in
South Africa than in some countries in Latin America (Guatemala,
El Salvador, Chile, Argentina); or at least so it seems? The
Truth Commission model was used in all of them, but Reconciliation
only in South Africa. Too early to say, but here are some
reflections for whatever they are worth.
The place to look for an explanation is probably in the
culture, and not only religion. The Latin American countries are
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