Special Report Transcript Episode 54, Section 3, Time 24:31

It’s been incredible. There are two impressions, one, how could we ever be so ghastly, the depth of depravity takes your breath away. That’s the one side. The other side is almost exhilarating, that people who have suffered as much as these should have this capacity to forgive, this magnanimity and the dignity that is being affirmed. We are asked by the Act to help in the rehabilitation of the human and civil dignity and I have seen it happen and it has been a great privilege to be part of this process. // These are people who for so long had stories that nobody heard, experiences that were ignored. Now they will be part of the official history of this country and a voice has been given to those who were imagined to be voiceless, those who were on the margins are now centre stage and they are a very, very crucial part of our being able to tell as complete a picture as possible of the gross human rights violations of this country in this period. // I am amazed, first of all at the healing that has happened to the survivors just through the telling of the story, but much more this incredible thing that I referred to, this magnanimity, this willingness to forgive. You saw it with the Trust Feed case, the Brian Mitchell case where despite the fact that he was responsible for such a devastating massacre; when he went there, facilitated by the Commission, they were hostile initially, but when he was leaving they were waving goodbye to him. He was almost a part of the community. I am amazed at what contribution we have made, but we need to underscore that we are asked to promote national unity and reconciliation. Reconciliation is the work of all of us; the Commission can only make a contribution.

Notes: Archbishop Tutu