NEWS ARCHIVE

Impunity Watch Debate: Reaching the Truth

01/10/2009 - On the occasion of its annual partner Exchange Meeting, this year taking place in Belgrade from 4-9 October, Impunity Watch is hosting a two-part discussion among activists from Guatemala, Burundi and Serbia on the process of establishing the truth about crimes committed during conflict.

The debates take place on 6&7 October 2009 at the Centre for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD), Bircaninova 21, Belgrade from 20:00-22:00.

 

Pursuing the truth in the aftermath of violent conflict is a complex process, and decisions as to how to do this can have huge influence on how effective the truth thus established will be in reducing impunity and establishing new values in society. The countries involved in the wars of Yugoslavia's dissolution have experienced massive efforts to achieve criminal justice for crimes committed then, but before the launch of the RECOM initiative, no significant truth-seeking process. Hundreds of organistions are now involved in establishing the RECOM, and must make difficult decisions as to how to engage the region's public and ensure the findings have lasting effect. In this two-part event, activists from Guatemala and Burundi will share their experiences of truth commissions with their Serbian couterparts.

 

PART 1: WHAT CIVIL SOCIETY CAN DO – 6 October 2009

Representatives of Guatemalan grassroots organisations will discuss how expectations of truth-seeking processes can be managed, with a view to maximising their resonance with people and politicians. Guatemala has experienced two truth-seeking initiatives since the end of its 36-year conflict, but more than ten years since the publication of their reports, Guatemala’s president has only just acknowledged their findings and apologised to the victims, while no more than a handful of criminal prosecutions have taken place and the Maya people remain in a position of severe disadvantage. Speakers include:

Dragana Popovic, Head of the Human Rights Programme, Youth Initiative for Human Rights

Stasa Zajovic, Executive Director, Women in Black

Rosalina Tuyuc, Director, National Widows Coordinator of Guatemala

Hector Soto, Director, Centre for Forensic Anthropology and Applied Sciences

 

Moderator: Ljiljana Hellman, Impunity Watch Serbia

 

PART 2: WHEN CONFLICT IS REGIONAL – 7 October 2009

Speakers from Burundi will discuss how impunity is dealt with in the Great Lakes, current attitudes and initiatives in terms of truth-seeking, and the regional dimension. DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda have been convulsed in interlocking civil wars and inter-state conflict since the early 1990s. Some transitional justice mechanisms have been implemented, but impunity remains a key obstacle to stabilisation, democratic progress and conflict resolution. The role of the media in such complex conflicts and transitional justice processes will also be addressed here. Speakers include: 

Aloys Batungwanayo, Journalist/Head of Programmes, La Benevolencija Grand Lacs

Louis-Marie Nindorera, Country Director, Global Rights

Klaas de Jonge, IW Research Coordinator

Dinko Gruhonjic, Executive Director, Independent Association of Journalist in Vojvodina

Maja Stojanovic, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Human Rights

 

Moderator: Marijana Toma, Impunity Watch Serbia

 

For more details, contact: marijana.toma@impunitywatch.org

 

These events are produced with support from Hivos and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

 



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