The decade-long armed conflict and political unrest in Sierra Leone deeply
affected the civilian population. Since the end of the war in 2002, the government
of Sierra Leone and the international community have been involved in
peacebuilding activities, national reconciliation and reconstruction. The
reconciliatory process necessitated the setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC) which was also a product of the Lomé Peace Agreement
between the Government of Sierra Leone and the now defunct Revolutionary
United Front (RUF). The international community invested US$ 4,6 million in
the Sierra Leone TRC mission. The TRC examined the causes of the war, human
rights violations and the role played by foreign actors. This paper analyses the
TRC as an internationally driven process to enhance reconciliation, peace,
development and democracy in Sierra Leone. It also evaluates the impact of
the implementation of the recommendations of the TRC. Beyond this, it makes
some suggestions on how the international community can better promote
transitional justice and the peacebuilding process by supporting local initiatives
and promoting national ownership for sustainability.
Durban: African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes , 2010. Vol. 10, no 1, p. 35-61