Establishing a truth commission

As noted above, the strongest truth commissions are founded through a process of consultation and careful consideration of what kind of commission would be most appropriate for the context. Each commission should be crafted to reflect national needs, strengths and opportunities. These consultative processes should have two equally important aims: increasing the understanding of a truth commission and strengthening its terms of reference through input about the most appropriate mandate. The consultation should explicitly include victim communities and civil society organizations, and should allow for a period of significant input into the fundamental mandate of the commission, as well as feedback on specific draft terms of reference as they are developed. This process, which typically would include workshops, seminars, and opportunities to debate and suggest specific components of mandate and design, should generally take place over several months, at least, and should incorporate views from all parts of the country and all major sectors, especially those communities most affected by the violence. Communication with victim and civil society groups, especially, should also be maintained during the work of the commission to allow public feedback on the methodology and impact of the commission’s work.

Related Subject(s): International Law and Justice