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apology and forgiveness and it consists of four processes as mentioned earlier i.e. trust,
mercy, justice and peace. This helps to bring people together, to go beyond the past and
focus on the future
Apology on the part ofthe perpetrator means acknowledging guilt and showing
regret for past actions. This is a very difficult step to take, but an absence of apology
means the act was justified and the impression may be created that it may be continued.
Forgiveness on the part ofthe victim appears to mean that the perpetrator, who should
be punished for the sake ofjustice, is being allowed to get away with it. However, if it
is kept in mind that revenge does not promote the resolution of conflict, and that the
perpetrator may not want to accept responsibility for fear of retaliation, it will be
realised that it is better to forgive atrocities in order to stop further ill feeling.
In South Africa forgiveness was institutionalised when amnesty was granted for
war crimes or political crimes against African and White South Africans after they had
testified about their deeds. This is regarded as one factor that contributed to the smooth
transition to African majority rule III South Africa.
(http://www.colorado.edulconflict/peace/treatment/disownex.htm)
Just like apology and forgiveness, reconciliation is also "a very difficult and
slow process" (http://wvvw.colorado.edu/conflict/peace!treatment/recoci1.htm)
especially after intractable conflicts. It may take years or even centuries to achieve.
However, following the incremental approach a lot can be achieved gradually.
In South Africa the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was appointed in
1995. When it was appointed it was regarded as "a high risk operation that could
endanger South Africa's fragile democratic transition and that the re-living of
individual hurts and collective passions would be difficult to contro!." This is according
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