Justice In Africa

This edited volume examines the role of local civil society in shaping understandings and processes of transitional justice in Africa – a nursery of transitional justice ideas for well over two decades. It brings together practitioners and scholars with intimate knowledge of these processes to evaluate the agendas and strategies of local civil society, and offers an opportunity to reflect on ‘lessons learnt’ along the way. The contributors focus on the evolution and effectiveness of transitional justice interventions, providing a glimpse into the motivations and inner workings of major civil society actors. The book presents an African perspective on transitional justice through a compilation of country-specific and thematic analyses of agenda setting and lobbying efforts. It offers insights into state–civil society relations on the continent, which shape these agendas. The chapters present case studies from Southern, Central, East, West and North Africa, and a range of moments and types of transition. In addition to historical perspective, the chapters provide fresh and up-to- date analyses of ongoing transitional justice efforts that are key to defining the future of how the field is understood globally, in theory and in practice Endorsements: "This great volume of written work – Advocating Transitional Justice in Africa: The Role of Civil Society – does what virtually no other labor of the intellect has done heretofore. Authored by movement activists and thinkers in the fields of human rights and transitional justice, the volume wrestles with the complex place and roles of transitional justice in the project of societal reconstruction in Africa. ... This volume will serve as a timely and thought-provoking guide for activists, thinkers, and policy makers – as well as students of transitional justice – interested in the tension between the universal and the particular in the arduous struggle for liberation. Often, civil society actors in Africa have been accused of consuming the ideas of others, but not producing enough, if any, of their own. This volume makes clear the spuriousness of this claim and firmly plants an African flag in the field of ideas." Makau Mutua

This title was first published in 2000: This work describes the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) - the first international court created to try persons for genocide and violation the humanitarian law of non-international armed conflict. The book begins with an explanation of the causes of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It then discusses the UN Security Council's creation of the ICTR and the Tribunal's organization, functioning, accomplishments and shortcomings. The author explains how the Tribunal has gained custody over suspects who had fled to other countries in Africa, Europe and also to the USA. The book analyzes the ICTR's first several cases and describes the unique contributions the Tribunal is making to the expansion of humanitarian law. In addition, the author describes Rwanda's own legal attempts to deal with the trauma of 1994 by passing a new genocide statute and creating special genocide courts. He also explains the similiarities and differences between the Tribunal for Rwanda and the one created by the UN Security Council to deal with major crimes committed during the break-up of former Yugoslavia.

This book provides insight on the effect of political violence and transitional justice in Africa focusing on Zimbabwe and comparing it to Rwanda, Uganda and Mozambique. The case of Zimbabwe is unique since political violence observed in some areas has manifested as contestations for power between members of various political parties. These political contestations have infiltrated family/clan structures at the community level and destroyed the human and social relations of people. Also, the author examines an understanding of how communities in the most polarized and conflict-ridden areas in Africa are addressing their past. The project would appeal to graduate students, academics, researchers and practitioners as it will help them to understand African justice systems and the complex network of relationships shaping justice processes during transitions.

This book explores the challenges of transitional justice in West Africa, specifically how countries in the region have dealt with transitional justice problems in the last 30 years (1990–2020), and how they have managed the process. Using comparative, historical, and legal analyses it examines the politics of justice after violent conflicts in West Africa, the major transitional justice mechanisms established in the region, and how countries have used these institutions to address injustice and the pains of war in some West African countries. The book examines how transitional justice mechanisms have contributed to victims’ rights, reconciliation, and peace in transitional societies, and whether transitional justice mechanisms deployed in West Africa were suitable or ill-fitted, and the politics of deploying them. The book is addressed to a wide audience: policymakers, and graduate and post-graduate students of transitional justice, conflict resolution, peace studies, conflict transformation, international criminal law, law and similar subjects. This book will be of great value to academics and researchers, as well as lecturers in tertiary institutions offering relevant courses; legal practitioners; peace practitioners/NGOs; and those working in the field of transitional justice and human rights.

This title was first published in 2000: This work describes the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) - the first international court created to try persons for genocide and violation the humanitarian law of non-international armed conflict. The book begins with an explanation of the causes of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. It then discusses the UN Security Council's creation of the ICTR and the Tribunal's organization, functioning, accomplishments and shortcomings. The author explains how the Tribunal has gained custody over suspects who had fled to other countries in Africa, Europe and also to the USA. The book analyzes the ICTR's first several cases and describes the unique contributions the Tribunal is making to the expansion of humanitarian law. In addition, the author describes Rwanda's own legal attempts to deal with the trauma of 1994 by passing a new genocide statute and creating special genocide courts. He also explains the similiarities and differences between the Tribunal for Rwanda and the one created by the UN Security Council to deal with major crimes committed during the break-up of former Yugoslavia.

The persecution of people in Africa on the basis of their assumed or perceived homosexual orientation has received considerable coverage in the popular media in recent years. Gay-bashing by political and religious figures in Zimbabwe and Gambia; draconian new laws against lesbians and gays and their supporters in Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda; and the imprisonment and extortion of gay men in Senegal and Cameroon have all rightly sparked international condemnation. However, much of the analysis has been highly critical of African leadership and culture without considering local nuances, historical factors and external influences that are contributing to the problem. Such commentary also overlooks grounds for optimism in the struggle for sexual rights and justice in Africa, not just for sexual minorities but for the majority population as well. Based on pioneering research on the history of homosexualities and engagement with current lgbti and HIV/AIDS activism, Marc Epprecht provides a sympathetic overview of the issues at play and a hopeful outlook on the potential of sexual rights for all.

This volume analyses the prospects and challenges of the African Court of Justice and Human and Peoples' Rights in context. The book is for all readers interested in African institutions and contemporary global challenges of peace, security, human rights, and international law. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.