Engaging with Victims and Perpetrators in Transitional ... - FriEnt

FriEnt/KOFF Workshop Report2 . V i c t i m s a n d p e r p e t r a t o r s – ac h a l l e n g e f o r t r a n s i t i o n a l j u s t i c e a n dd e v e l o p m e n tThe introductory session developed the subject from two perspectives: Oneintroduced transitional justice as a concept that looks at a range of mechanismswhich each deal with victims and perpetrators in specific ways. The secondpresented psychosocial foundations of victim and perpetrator categories and theirtransformation.The objectives of this first session was to lay the ground for a more differentiatedunderstanding of both terms “victims” and “perpetrators” and to develop a sensefor the necessity of transforming these categories as an important goal of peacebuilding and development work.2.1. A conceptual framework for engaging with victims andperpetratorsJonathan Sisson (KOFF - swisspeace) presented a conceptual framework oftransitional justice which places victims and perpetrators at its centre. Themechanisms of transitional justice each put a different stress on the twocategories: Whereas mechanisms falling under the “right to know” (such as truthcommissions) and those that deal with the “right to reparation” focus on victims,the “right to justice” (e.g. courts and tribunals) and the “guarantee of nonrecurrence”(e.g. DDR activities and institutional reform) concentrate onperpetrators:3