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Conference report(s):
"Report of the Fortieth Strategy for Peace, US Foreign Policy Conference"
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In wars, transitions of power, or periods of destabilization, justice is often a victim. And dealing with historical injustices will likely be a key element in creating reconciliation and long-term peace.

What measures need to be taken in post-conflict situations to prevent a reoccurrence of violence and assure sustainable peace? This question was addressed by a group of experts at a recent Stanley Foundation event titled "Post Conflict Reconciliation: Building Peace and Redressing Historical Injustice." The meeting was part of the foundation's fortieth annual Strategy for Peace Conference.

Participants in the meeting came from government agencies, human rights groups, academic institutions, and international organizations. They focused on five key areas: mechanisms to protect civilians, accountability measures, reconciliation mechanisms, political arrangements, and economic recovery tools.

Security
Establishing a secure environment for civilians is the first post-conflict priority, according to the report issued following the conference. At one level, this involves disarmament and demobilization of combatants. Security also involves police, courts, prisons, civil society, and an independent media.

Some conference participants are already working to create an International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) which would, among other things, work to rebuild shattered judicial systems in post-conflict situations (see related story).

Accountability
ILAC would also coordinate work and devise mechanisms to hold the perpetrators of war crimes and genocide accountable. In post-conflict situations, this often means gathering and preserving evidence, taking testimony from witnesses, and recommending the proper tools for determining guilt, punishment, and restitution for victims. Accountability is deeply important in order to achieve the goal of lasting peace. Determining accountability can help bolster trust in the "rule of law" as well as squelch the problem of collective guilt.

Reconciliation
Finding the proper ways to heal a society after a period of violence is also a key to preventing future upheaval. Although amnesty is sometimes used as a way to move a society past an era of conflict, most in the group said this was "repugnant" because it encourages a sense of impunity.

Reparations to victims can build reconciliation, but they can also be difficult to deliver. Cross-community dialogues led by an outside group can lead to social change. There was discussion about the pros and cons of Western-based legal approaches to these issues as opposed to more traditional remedies native to the community.

The report says "There was consensus that a neutral outside party can be very effective in jump-starting these kinds of initiatives, but to be sustainable and effective such programs usually must be homegrown and locally driven. One conference participant outlined a locally created system being used in Rwanda called Gacaca (see related story).

Political Arrangements
Often the new political system of a territory is part of the agreement which ends the war or other conflict. The group agreed that democracy offers many the tools needed to create political systems that can prevent future violence.

Participants issued a serious caution against confusing "democracy's form (elections) with its function (meaningful participation in decision making through representative institutions)." Elections, especially the type that rely on a winner-take-all system, can actually harm the chances for long-term peace. They suggested using nuanced forms of power-sharing which mandate that all groups be represented in the government.

Economic Recovery
Improving the social and economic condition of a post-conflict area is also critical to long-term peace. Conference participants discussed skills training, micro-enterprise credit, land reform, redistribution of wealth, and the importance of foreign investment and development assistance.

Private-sector development is very important. The report says "...if the legitimate private sector does not become engaged in post-conflict societies, then the illegitimate private sector would fill the void."

The report concludes that the international community has many tools available for promoting post-conflict peace and recovery. Coordination of those tools and the various groups working in the situation are very important. Promoting and sustaining a secure and just peace is a complex job.