A struggle to find the truth

Like many other societies that needed to achieve closure on a past of oppression while simultaneously working toward national reconciliation and nation building, Maldives too has to face this difficult challenge. Both President Nasheed and Vice President Waheed have publicly spoken about this difficult task faced by the government. There are many Maldivians who feel that past injustices and human right violations should be dealt with properly, in order to avoid a repeat of such cruel behaviour. As the Spanish philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." But just how does a nation take the very painful and challenging road to the truth?


When South Africa emerged from more than four decades of apartheid, they turned to the concept of a truth commission. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is one of the best examples of restorative justice. Established in 1995, the TRC was charged with investigating gross human rights abuses that occurred between 1960 and 1994 so as to create as complete an accounting as possible of the atrocities of that period. Perpetrators were offered amnesty in exchange for full disclosure about their past crimes. This was part of a political compromise between the African National Congress and the outgoing apartheid government led by the National Party that was deemed necessary for a peaceful transition to democracy. This form of restorative justice emphasized reconciliation between perpetrators and victims built ideally on a perpetrator’s repentance and a victim’s forgiveness. Ultimately, it was hoped, the South African nation as a whole would likewise become reconciled.

This concept of a truth commission despite criticisms from some human rights and victims groups has worked for South Africa that went through tremendous upheaval, and needed to heal old wounds and bring closure.

East Timor also known as Timor-Leste, the first new nation of the 21st century is going through a painful struggle to bring national reconcilliation after the country suffered some of the worst atrocities of modern times during the Indonesian occupation. Timor-Leste’s president José Ramos-Horta, who survived an assassination attempt in February 2008, fears that prosecuting those responsible for atrocities could create serious instability in the fledgling state, as well as damage relations with its main trading partner Indonesia.

In a lecture at the MIT's Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, Ramos-Horta who won 1996 Nobel Peace Prize said:

“I’m happy to endure criticism from the ultrapatriots of international justice who want to make East Timor a guinea pig of international justice. I will not be part of that. ... Let’s put all the past behind us -- look after the victims, the wounded, in their minds, bodies and souls, build a country that is deserving of so much sacrifice. Chasing the ghosts of the past leads us nowhere.”

During President Ramos-Horta's recent visit to Maldives, the Maldivian leaders would have learnt about the reconciliation process of Timor-Leste. Such a process acknowledges past mistakes including regret and forgiveness as a product of a path inherent in the process of achieving justice. It is also a process which should break the cycle of accusation, denial and counter-accusation. This process needs to be seen only for conflict resolution and truth should be the final outcome. It seeks justice and not retribution. It should not be used as a political tool to gain political advantage by political parties.