Looking Back Reaching Forward : Reflections on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa by Verwoerd, Wilhelm

ISBN: 9781919713496

Juta Academic | 31 January 2000

Paperback | 336 pages Description

Born with a historic compromise that few predicted, the TRC has evoked emotions ranging from anger and confusion to sympathy and remorse. It has rarely generated indifference. The guide constitutes a tour de force, captuing the essence of the TRC debate, while posing a set of questions with which this country is likely to wrestle for some time to come. Indeed, it is intended to provoke debate rather than provide simple answers to complex questions. This makes it a useful book for teaching purposes, as well as for others interested in transitional politics. A number of different voices are heard, all seeking to provoke practical ways forward for a nation that in the early 1990s was teetering on the brink of collapse. The pertinent question posed by the book is: "Where does South Africa go in the post TRC period?" Equally important is the question: "Does the TRC model provide a viable alternative to prosecution for other countries in transition from oppressive rule to a society committed to human rights and the rule of law?"