Truth and Reconciliation Commission - List

List

Argentina

The National Commission for Forced Disappearances (Comisión Nacional sobre la Desaparición de Personas) investigated human rights violations, including 30,000 forced disappearances, committed during the Dirty War. The report produced by the commission included individual cases on 9,000 disappeared persons. However, in most cases, the commission was only able to determine the status of those disappeared, rather than being able to name the victimizers.

Brazil

The non-punitive Comissão Nacional da Verdade was approved in late 2011 by the Federal Senate and sanctioned by President Dilma Rousseff. The commission will last for two years and consist of seven members appointed by President Dilma Rousseff. Members of the commission will have access to all government files about the 1946–1988 period and may convene victims or people accused of violations for testimony, although it will not be mandatory for them to attend. After the end of the two years period, the commission will issue a report with its findings. The group will not have, however, the obligation to disclose everything they discover.

Canada

The Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a currently active (as of February 2011) commission investigating human rights abuses in the Canadian Indian residential school system.

Colombia

The National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation (Comisión Nacional de Reparación y Reconciliación) aims to help victims to recover from the armed conflict.

Chile

The National Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Comisión Nacional de Verdad y Reconciliación; "Rettig Report") investigated deaths and disappearances, particularly for political reasons, under Augusto Pinochet's rule. The report was released in 1991. The National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture ("Valech Report") also investigated human rights abuses from the reign of Augusto Pinochet. Released in 2004 and 2005, the commission differed from the previous one in that it investigated non-fatal violations of human rights, such as torture, and also covered children whose parents had disappeared or been killed. The report of this commission was used by the government of Chile to give out pensions and other benefits to survivors.

Czech Republic

The Office for the Documentation and the Investigation of the Crimes of Communism (Úřad dokumentace a vyšetřování zločinů komunismu) is a subdivision of Czech criminal police which investigates criminal acts from the period 1948-1989 which were unsolvable for political reasons during the Czechoslovak communist regime.

El Salvador

Established by the United Nations (instead of the Government of El Salvador), the establishment of the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador (Comisión de la Verdad) (United Nations) was part of Chapultepec Peace Accords to end the Salvadoran Civil War. The commission investigated murders and executions committed during the war, including that of Óscar Romero. However, Romero's murder has to this date not been prosecuted, mostly due to the post-war entrenchment of politicians from the Arena party formerly led by Roberto D'Aubuisson (who led the death squads that assassinated Romero).

Fiji

Reconciliation and Unity Commission

Ghana

National Reconciliation Commission

Guatemala

Historical Clarification Commission (Comisión para el Esclarecimiento Histórico)

Kenya

Waki Commission: The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya

Liberia

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Morocco

Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER).

Panama

Truth Commission (Comisión de la Verdad)

Peru

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Comisión de la Verdad y Reconciliación)

Poland

Institute of National Remembrance

Philippines

In 2010, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino announced that a Truth Commission will be formed to investigate unresolved issues concerning the previous administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. On July 30, 2010, a month after being sworn-in as the 15th President of the Philippines, Aquino signed Executive Order No. 1, creating the Philippine Truth Commission of 2010. However, the Supreme Court of the Philippines invalidated the executive order because of its apparent transgression of the equal protection clause for singling out the Arroyo administration. In his ponencia in Biraogo vs. Truth Commission, Justice Jose C. Mendoza blatantly tagged Aquino's Truth Commission "as a vehicle for vindictiveness and selective retribution."

Sierra Leone

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Solomon Islands

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Solomon Islands). On April 29, 2009, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was launched by the Government of the Solomon Islands. Its aim would be to "address people’s traumatic experiences during the five year ethnic conflict on Guadalcanal (1999-2004)". It is modelled on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa. Its public hearings commenced in March 2010.

South Africa

After the transition from apartheid, President Nelson Mandela and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu authorized a truth commission to study the effects of apartheid in that country. The commission was simply called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

South Korea

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Sri Lanka

Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission

After an 18 month inquiry, the commission submitted its report to the President on 15 November 2011. The report was made public on 16 December 2011, after being tabled in the parliament.

East Timor

Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor (Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação de Timor Leste; 2001–2005); Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship (2005–2008)

Uganda

Uganda Commission of Inquiry into Violations of Human Rights (1986-1994)

Ukraine

Ukrainian National Remembrance Institute - founded by president Yushchenko in 2006

United States

Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission (GTRC)