Traditional justice and reconciliation after violent conflict: Learning from African experiences

There is no part of Africa that is not afflicted by civil wars, violent upheavals, abject poverty, institutionalised corruption or mismanagement of resources. There have, however, been few systematic attempts to analyse and assess the role and impact of traditional mechanisms in situations of conflict resolution and in post-conflict settings. The question may indeed be asked: Where has the approach of the ‘Baobab Tree’ gone, which used to be a consensual instrument for conflict resolution and a peace-building mechanism after conflict? The possibility remains, however, that even with the given pollution of traditional values and customs by the forces of corruption, traditional justice mechanisms may still offer a way of restoring a sense of accountability and transparency, and of linking justice to democratic development.