Traditional Justice and Reconciliation after Violent Conflict: Learning from African Experiences

A comparative study of the strengths and weaknesses of local peacemaking traditions in five African countries, this practical handbook is designed to inform, assist, and equip citizens and leaders in postviolence contexts to build strategies and structures for coexistence. Case studies include the Gacaca courts in Rwanda, restorative justice in post-civil war Mozambique, and the tradition-based practices of the Kpaa Mende in Sierra Leone. The conclusion cautions against unrealistic expectations of traditional conflict-management techniques but recommends them as one part of a larger reconstruction plan.