Promotion of Truth

1. Comprehensiveness

Truth telling processes must combine different measures. In that same measure, no single approach to truth-seeking is adequate on its own if finding the root causes and understanding the conflict is the goal. The process must embrace multiple narratives.

2. Human Rights Based

Truth seeking initiatives in transitional justice must be grounded in universal norms of human dignity such as the right to know and the right to speedy remedy or access to justice. Truth recovery processes must seek to fulfill individual and family rights, as well as the collective rights of societies.

3. Victim-Centric

Placing victims at the centre of this work also requires ensuring that victim’s rights and views are fully respected in the implementation of the transitional justice process. This includes the use of victim-sensitive procedures that guarantee victims’ safety and dignity, and the development of specific capacities to assist, support and protect victims and witnesses (UN 2010:6).

4. Inclusivity

Truth seeking must be based on consultations and effective participation of all stakeholders.

5. Genuine Independence

Truth seeking processes must be based on a comprehensive, inclusive, consultative involvement of all stakeholders, particularly victims. This enables truth commissions to function well.

6. Cooperation

There must be cooperation between non-state and state actors. The mechanism must get cooperation from all institutions with a view to arriving at the truth. Local institutions such as state security agents as well as key state and non state actors must be obliged to support and cooperate with the commission or any other truth seeking mechanism.