TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 8

Subsection 5

■ REPARATIONS AND REHABILITATION⁴

22 The granting of reparation awards to victims of gross violations of human rights adds value to the “truth-seeking” phase by:

a enabling the survivors to experience in a concrete way the state’s acknowledgement of wrongs done to victims and survivors, family members, communities and the nation at large;

b restoring the survivors’ dignity;

c affirming the values, interests, aspirations and rights advanced by those who suffered;

d raising consciousness about the public’s moral responsibility to participate in healing the wounded and facilitating nation-building.

23 Thus the Commission recommends that:

A STRUCTURE BE DEVELOPED IN THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, WITH A LIMITED SECRETARIAT AND A FIXED LIFE-SPAN, WHOSE FUNCTION WILL BE TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REPARATION AND REHABILITATION POLICY PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PROPOSED SECRETARIAT WILL REQUIRE CO-OPERATION WITH A NUMBER OF MINISTRIES WHICH HAVE A LONG-TERM MANDATE TO INTEGRATE SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES. THE SECRETARIAT WILL ALSO APPLY ITSELF TO:

FACILITATING MECHANISMS FOR FINANCIAL REPARATION;

FACILITATING THE ISSUING OF DEATH CERTIFICATES BY THE APPROPRIATE MINISTRY;

EXPEDITING EXHUMATIONS AND BURIALS BY THE APPROPRIATE MINISTRY;

FACILITATING THE ISSUING OF A DECLARATION OF DEATH IN THOSE CASES WHERE THE FAMILY MEMBERS REQUEST IT;

FACILITATING THE EXPUNGING OF CRIMINAL RECORDS WHERE THE POLITICAL ACTIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS WAS CRIMINALISED;

FACILITATING THE RESOLUTION OF OUTSTANDING LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO REPORTED VIOLATIONS;

FACILITATING THE RENAMING OF STREETS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN ORDER TO REMEMBER AND HONOUR INDIVIDUALS OR SIGNIFICANT EVENTS;

FACILITATING THE BUILDING OF MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUMS TO COMMEMORATE EVENTS OF THE PAST.

THE GOVERNMENT DECLARE A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.

THE PRESIDENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH ORGANISED BUSINESS AND CIVIL SOCIETY AT LARGE, ESTABLISH A TRUST FUND WHOSE FINANCES WILL SUPPORT REPARATION AND RESTITUTION INITIATIVES AS PRIORITISED BY DIFFERENT MINISTRIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY.