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Hugo van der Merwe

This author has written 19 articles
PublicationsResearch
  • Transitional Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Reconciliation Through Amnesty? Amnesty Applicants' Views of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The subsequent report aims both to inform further intervention with ex-combatants in South Africa and to provide some insights that may guide other international efforts to engage perpetrators of human rights abuses in conditional amnesties, truth seeking, restorative justice and reconciliation processes.  

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  • Therese Abrahamsen and Hugo van der Merwe
PublicationsResearch
  • Reconciliation, Transitional Justice, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Role of the Church in Promoting Reconciliation in Post–TRC South Africa

This paper uses the interviews conducted by Bernard Spong (alongside previous research by the author) to examine the way the church interacted with the TRC and how this has affected the approach of the church in addressing the challenge of reconciliation after the closure of the TRC.  

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  • Hugo van der Merwe
PublicationsResearch
  • Transitional Justice, Truth Commissions

National Narrative Versus Local Truths: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Engagement with Duduza

One of the central goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was to 'uncover the truth' about South Africa's human rights abuses. This paper explores different understandings of the nature of this truth, by examining the tensions between the views of the TRC and those of a range of community stakeholders in Duduza, a township near Johannesburg.  

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  • Hugo van der Merwe
PublicationsResearch
  • Transitional Justice, Truth Commissions

Evaluation of the Health Sector Hearing: Conceptualising Human Rights and Reconciliation

As part of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), various sectoral hearings were held to highlight the role of these sectors in South Africa's past. The health sector hearing was one such example and has been hailed as an important step in the process of promoting reconciliation, transforming health services in South Africa and promoting a human rights culture…

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  • Hugo van der Merwe
PublicationsResearch
  • Transitional Justice, Truth Commissions

Non-Governmental Organisations and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: An Impact Assessment

This report examines the relationship between Peace/Conflict Resolution Organisations and the TRC. Based mainly on interviews with NGO and TRC staff, the report outlines the various ways that NGOs participated in the development of the TRC legislation and engaged with TRC structures.  

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  • Hugo van der Merwe, Polly Dewhirst and Brandon Hamber
PublicationsResearch
  • Transitional Justice, Truth Commissions

The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Community Resolution

This paper attempts to provide some understanding of the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in promoting reconciliation within the community of Duduza. While the TRC does not have a specific mandate to advance local reconciliation, it has defined its role as building a foundation for reconciliation in South Africa. In order to understand the future of reconciliation…

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  • Hugo van der Merwe
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