Critical Lessons from South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), with Insights from Global Practice for Transitional Justice and Sustainable Peace in Ethiopia.

Abstract

This study examined the experience of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), with insights from global practices to draw practical lessons for Ethiopia's transitional justice initiative.  Through a systematic analysis of secondary data, including scholarly books, articles, legal documents, and thematic analysis, the research investigated the design, implementation, and outcomes of the South African TRC and global practices. The analysis identified seven   critical insights that Ethiopia can consider while designing and implementing its transitional justice initiative : transitional justice as foundation  for national cohesion; the foundational importance of religious and traditional institutions in reconciliation; the importance  of addressing systemic violence ; limitations in reparations policy and their implementation; the problems associated with arbitrary cut-off dates; the strategic  importance of coordinating transitional justice mechanisms ; and the importance of proactively mitigating perceptual and operational risks. While the South African TRC and global practices provide a valuable repository of knowledge, its lessons cannot be mechanically transplanted. Instead, Ethiopia must engage in a critical and context-sensitive adaptation of these insights, carefully tailoring them to its unique historical, political, economic, social, and cultural dynamics. The paper concludes with specific recommendations for crafting a more effective and locally grounded transitional justice framework in Ethiopia.