DRC: These feelings and thoughts of victims and survivors of atrocities regarding transitional justice processes and mechanisms.
While many analysts believe that only true justice can elevate a nation, the time has come for initiatives aimed at implementing methods and mechanisms to achieve this, in order to bring some relief to the social strata affected by conflict.
By Prosper HERI NGORORA
11 September 2024
Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo-In its program called Just Future, Impunity watch has just published a report on the feelings of victims and survivors of atrocities in eastern DRC. The report focuses on their expectations of transitional justice processes and mechanisms.
The policy brief is the culmination of a collaborative research process conducted among 771 people in the conflict-affected provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu, and Ituri in the framework of the Just Future Programme.These regions are among the most affected by decades of violence and instability, leaving countless victims and survivors in need of truth, justice, and reparations.
The main expectations of those questioned can be summed up in 6 key points. These include Restoring peace and security, Truth-seeking, Criminal prosecutions, Reparative measures, guarantees of non-recurrence, Memorialization, noted stated Impunity Watch press released published on 30 August 2024.
Gentil Kasongo of Impunity Watch believes that this political note is urgently needed on the road to transitional justice in the DRC.
” This policy brief is a critical contribution to ongoing policy debates on transitional justice in the DRC. It is essential that the expectations and needs of victims and survivors are not only heard but acted upon in the formulation and implementation of the national transitional justice policy” he said.
The publication of this brief comes at a pivotal moment as the DRC continues to grapple with the legacies of conflict and violence. It serves as a call to action for all stakeholders to prioritize the needs of those most affected by the conflict and to work towards a future where justice, healing, and peace are within reach for all Congolese citizens, notes the press release.
This is where Impunity Watch comes in, working with victims of violence to deliver redress for grave human rights violations, uproot systemic impunity and promote justice and peace.
Just Future is a 5-year Alliance programme implemented in 6 countries, and is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Just Future’s vision is of a world in which all people in fragile states benefit from more accessible, responsive, and accountable security and justice institutions, and more inclusive arrangements for political governance and peace-making.
