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For the past three years, April 9th has become an important date to recognize more than 6 million victims of the armed conflict in Colombia. This year, hundreds of Colombians again went to the streets, to mark the National Day of Memory and Solidarity with Victims, as established by Law 1448 –also known as the Victims Law. Across the country, citizens reaffirmed their pledge of sin olvido –to never forget. While the government and the FARC continue to negotiate to put an end to an armed conflict that has lasted for more than 50 years, demonstrators voiced their demands for justice, truth and reparation to be a part of the plans for peace. “April 9th is a day to recall that the tragic history of our country is part of our collective memory of pain,” says María Camila Moreno, director of ICTJ’s Colombia program. “We should see and listen to the multitude of voices, memories, and strengths of victims and survivors.” Colombians arrived in Bogotá from various regions of the country and from different ethnic backgrounds –afrocolombians, indigenous and non-indigenous alike– came together to be part of the day’s events, organized by the Colombian Congress, the National Center for Historical Memory, the Victims Unit and other institutional and civil society organizations from the regions. The day started with the opening of the exhibition Conflict in High Resolution (Conflicto en Alta Resolución) in which Colombian youth conveyed memories of the conflict through plastic sculptures and other visual art. In recognition of the day, Colombia’s Congress hosted a special session in which victims of the conflict participated. At the event, President Juan Manuel Santos addressed the audience: “To attain peace is the most valuable achievement of any society. In the case of Colombia, a country that has suffered so much because of the violence, it has an even greater value.” In addition, people marched through the in the streets of the capital following the so called “Memory Route,” beginning at the National Park and ending in Plaza de Bolivar, in the city center. Many marchers carried photographs of relatives that were killed or disappeared, faces in a sea of white flags, symbols of the demand for peace. Many of the demonstrators held banners calling for justice and reparation for victims. “The National Memory Day is not a simple claim, nor a call for sentimentalism: it is, above all, a reparative act, aimed at the reconstruction of civic trust,” said Moreno.

As the Special Court for Sierra Leone formally ended its work on December 2, 2013, a new museum opened on the former premises of the court, dedicated to peace. The SCSL was a hybrid criminal court, established jointly by the UN and Sierra Leone to prosecute perpetrators of serious crimes committed during the country’s civil war. It operated for over a decade and indicted 13 individuals including the former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who was convicted in 2012 for war crimes. It completed its mandate in 2013. The closing ceremony was presided over by Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma, who said the court “reiterates our commitment to fight impunity, and it also underscores our respect for the promotion of the rule of law and preservation of peace and stability.” The ceremony also marked the opening of the Sierra Leone Peace Museum, which will be housed in the complex of the SCSL. A legacy project by the SCSL and the Government of Sierra Leone, the museum is an independent institution with the mission of preserving the history of the war, honoring its victims, and telling the stories of building peace. The museum’s exhibition aims to narrate the history of the war and the story of the peace process through artifacts. It will also host the archive of public records of both the SCSL and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as other historic documents related to the country’s recent history. The grounds will include a Memorial Garden dedicated as place of reflection for victims of the conflict. Through its mobile outreach team, the museum will bring its exhibitions to schools and communities outside Freetown. It also plans to partner with historic sites around the country to help preserve and memorialize places of importance for communities who were affected by the war. ICTJ is pleased to announced that the Peace Museum’s permanent collection will feature ICTJ’s multimedia project entitled “Seeds of Justice: Sierra Leone,” five portraits of Sierra Leoneans whose lives were impacted by the SCSL. The project is the culmination of a year-long initiative by ICTJ to examine the legacy of the Special Court. “The Peace Museum offers an importance new space for Sierra Leoneans and visitors to learn about the tremendous efforts that Sierra Leone has made towards establishing peace, seeking truth about the past, and realizing justice for some of the top perpetrators of crimes during the war,” said David Tolbert, President of ICTJ. “It can act as an important beacon of memory for generations to come.”

About the Project There are few crimes with such devastating and far-reaching impacts as enforced disappearance. Innocents taken from their homes vanish to secret locations known only to the perpetrators. Imprisoned, tortured, and often killed for dubious reasons, their disappearance leaves a void in which families struggle to understand what has happened to their loved ones. In this limbo of not knowing, they exist condemned to days, months, and sometimes years of searching for clues and bits of information, left vulnerable to discrimination and abuse by the same people who disappeared their kin. Sometimes their search leads them to a grave with remains that can be identified by a personal detail, a key their child had when her life was taken or a DNA sample from a single bone. Some end up living in this limbo for the rest of their lives, unable to reconcile that their loved one is dead, desperately clinging to hope, against all odds, with the absence of the disappeared palpable every day of their life. To help depict the impact of disappearances on families, we solicited the help of some of the world’s leading photographers, whose photos bring to life the universality of the plight of the families of the disappeared. For this unique project, Rodrigo Abd, Mari Bastashevski, Marcelo Brodsky, Ziyah Gafic, Dalia Khamissy, Susan Meiselas, and Gervasio Sánchez have shared some of their most poignant images and thoughts about their experience of working with the families of the disappeared and its impact on them. The motives are as diverse as the dimensions of the pain suffered by the families. From empty rooms echoing with the voices of the taken, to personal artifacts exhumed with remains hidden by killers, to the endless conflict between despair and hope on the faces of parents who cling to the photo of their disappeared children. However, all of the images, without exception, capture the void that dominates the lives of those left behind. It is images like these that make the horror of this crime visible and real. On this International Day of the Disappeared, we invite you to take a moment to consider the awful impact of this heinous crime that has scarred numerous societies around the world and stand in solidarity with its victims in their struggle for truth and justice.

Thousands of children were born as a result of sexual violence in northern Uganda during the armed conflict that lasted from 1986 to 2007. Now, as teenagers and young adults who are trying to find their place back in their communities, these young men and women face a multitude of challenges – including stigma, poverty, and social exclusion – which hinder their reintegration into society and their future prospects. Over the two-decade conflict, girls and young women were specifically targeted for sexual violence by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and, in some cases, state forces. Among the serious crimes committed by the LRA, led by the infamous Joseph Kony, it is estimated that some 66,000 children and youth were abducted to serve as soldiers or sex slaves. ICTJ spoke with 249 people in the northern regions of Acholi, Lango, Teso, and West Nile in April 2015 to analyze the long-term consequences of the lack of accountability sexual violence committed during the conflict. Among those interviewed there were 52 children born of sexual violence (27 girls, 25 boys), who reflected on the challenges they face through group discussions and drawing exercises. Nothing can capture more clearly the ongoing impact of sexual violence than the words written by these young women and men. This photo gallery presents a selection of their drawings and thoughts on how their communities perceive them and how they see themselves and their hopes for the future. Children born of sexual violence are marginalized in northern Uganda. They are scorned for coming “from the bush,” they are labeled as “useless,” “cursed,” “failures,” “mad,” and even “monsters.” They are constantly reminded of their association to Joseph Kony, when people call them “child of Kony” or “wife of Kony.” Deep social stigmatization and exclusion often affects the children’s mothers and caretakers as well. “In Lamwo, where my grandparents stay, others abuse my grandparents because of me, others tell them to send me away to my mother, but because of their love they can’t,” wrote a 14-year-old girl from Pader District. When describing themselves in these drawings, the adolescents show resilience in moving past this rejection. They see themselves as “beautiful,” “innocent,” “positive,” “proud,” and capable of building a better future for themselves, their communities, and their country. “Being a war-affected person cannot prevent me from being either a doctor or the President of Uganda.” wrote a 19-year-old male from Oyam District. Nevertheless, many express contradictory feelings and frustration caused by the institutional neglect and total lack of opportunities. “Sometimes I lose hope because I have nothing,” wrote a young male from Gulu. Many participants emphasize that they need support in order to have successful futures and contribute to their communities. They often describe themselves as “poor” and see their economic struggle as a major obstacle in achieving the goals. “I want to study so that I can be responsible, but no one can support me in paying my school fees requirement. I don’t know where to go!!!” wrote a young girl from Gulu. Most of the adolescents see education as the essential step towards personal improvement, and they often link their own well-being to that of their communities and their country. In the words of a young girl from Gulu: “I see myself as useful to the community and I am working hard to change my life. I am hoping to have a good living. I want to help my parents, relatives and all of Uganda.” As ICTJ’s new report concludes, the social and economic challenges suffered by children born of sexual violence in Uganda and their mothers need urgent attention. The Ugandan government must to listen to these young women and men’s demands, acknowledge that their rights were violated, and provide the redress to which they are entitled. Read and download ICTJ’s report “From Rejection to Redress: Overcoming Legacies of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Northern Uganda,” and watch our film about their fight for justice.

Through its initiatives in several countries, ICTJ has learned that hip hop music can be a powerful and effective way to engage young people in transitional justice issues, such as truth, memory, and reconciliation, and encourage their participation in ongoing processes. The music, which particularly appeals to younger generations, can uniquely connect them to historical and ongoing injustices through a cathartic musical experience. It can also inspire them to resist oppression and to demand justice and positive social and political change. In the Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, ICTJ partnered with rising hip hop artists in an effort to educate young people about transitional justice processes underway in their respective countries and motivate them to take part in them. The artists created hip hop music about issues related transitional justice, effectively reaching a segment of the population that may not have otherwise known the full extent of past abuses or paid attention to policies meant to address them. These ICTJ-led initiatives fomented creativity and democratized knowledge about how to deal with gross human rights violations after conflict or repression. Several of the young people who participated in them later became leaders in their communities. Knowing the positive role hip hop music can play in the pursuit of truth, justice, and redress, ICTJ staff members from different country offices discussed the idea of holding an international hip hop festival in Colombia where hip hop artists from around world could come together, learn from their each other’s experiences, and share their ideas about transitional justice issues with other artists, experts, practitioners, and civil society representatives. After many months of planning and numerous postponements due to the global COVID-19 public health crisis, ICTJ's office in Colombia joined forces with the Movement of Latin American Expressions of Hip Hop (MELAH) and the online cultural outlet Revista Cartel Urbano to host the hybrid virtual and live International Hip Hop Encounter in Bogotá, Colombia on November 25 through November 28. The four-day event assembled artists, musicians, and activists from across Latin America and Africa for live performances and to discuss the role of hip hop music and culture in uncovering truth, preserving memory, and resisting violence and oppression. Black and Latinx youth in the South Bronx, in New York City, created hip hop music and culture in the 1970’s, against a backdrop of urban blight, poverty, and rising violent and often drug-related crime. The artistic and cultural movement has since spread to nearly every country around the globe. The music, graffiti, and breakdancing often articulate the hardships of marginalized populations and their desire for justice and greater opportunities, regardless of the country where they are made.  Many marginalized populations today, especially those in countries with legacies of gross human rights violations, still grapple with poverty, inequality, social exclusion, and targeted police brutality. For young people in these communities, hip hop remains a relevant tool to help affirm their dignity in face of discrimination and an outlet of creative expression and cultural resistance.  Learn more about the international hip hop encounter here:  

In Côte d’Ivoire, the state aims to restore victims’ rights and offer reparations to those affected by 2010’s post-election violence. A couple of years ago ICTJ came to the conclusion that discussions about how to provide reparations to victims had not sufficiently considered victims' opinions and needs, particularly of those living in the provinces or in marginal areas, some of whom were the most affected by the conflict. To help address these shortcomings, ICTJ organized consultations throughout the country, providing victims with forums to discuss their needs. Participants discussed the consequences of the conflict, the obstacles they now face as a result, and what sorts of policies would meet their needs. The forums included men, women and youth in Côte d’Ivoire, reflecting the diversity of experiences during the conflict and the needs that manifest themselves in communities today. The demands and suggestions expressed in these consultations form the basis of our new report, “Recommendations for Victim Reparations in Côte d’Ivoire.” Go inside the consultation process with Senior Associate Cristián Correa of ICTJ’s Reparative Justice Program, who besides conducting the project and co-authoring the report photographed the experience.

As the peace talks progress between the Colombian government and FARC representatives in Havana, many Colombians are increasingly hopeful that the country will be able to put an end to more than 50 years of armed conflict. Despite broad support by many different sectors of society, the negotiations have been controversial, and some people still oppose a political deal with the biggest insurgent group in the country. With the aim of reinforcing the legitimacy of the peace process, which could lead to a historic compromise that would deeply influence the future of the country, thousands of Colombians marched to express their support for the discussions, for peace, and for democracy. Their motto was: “We are the majority: Now is the time for peace!” In 2012, the victims’ law established April 9th as the National Day for Memory and Solidarity with Victims. “On Victims’ Day, we demand peace. This is a necessary condition for real guarantees of non-repetition. ICTJ supports the march because we believe that it is possible to reach just and sustainable peace in Colombia,” stated María Camila Moreno, head of ICTJ’s Colombia office. Mass gatherings took place in all major cities of the country. Hundreds traveled from towns near Bogotá to participate in the national march thattook place in the streets of the capital. One meeting point was the Center for Memory, Peace, and Reconciliation, which was also officially opening to the public for the first time this day. In the Center, before the march started, a series of artistic presentations paid homage to the victims of the armed conflict. Among those exhibitions, there was the photography exhibition “Images to Resist Oblivion,” organized jointly by the Center for Historic Memory and ICTJ. Colombia’s president, Juan Manuel Santos, and the mayor of Bogotá, Gustavo Petro, marched together from the Center for Memory, Peace, and Reconciliation, as a symbolic act of invitation to overcome political and social polarization, and to support a political resolution to the armed conflict.

On February 20, ICTJ and New York University School of Law’s Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) proudly presented the 10th annual Emilio Mignone lecture. For this milestone in the lecture series, ICTJ and CHRGJ welcomed as speaker former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff.   Close to 200 people attended the public event, held at the law school’s campus in New York City. Among the distinguished guests was Isabel Mignone, the daughter of Emilio Mignone, the renowned Argentine human rights lawyer and early transitional justice architect after whom the lecture series is named. A robust question and answer session followed the lecture, moderated by ICTJ’s Deputy Executive Director Anna Myriam Roccatello. In his address, titled “The Future of the Past: Reflections on the Current State and Prospects of Transitional Justice,” de Greiff took stock of the field, its accomplishments in the past 30 years and the challenges it faces today and in the years to come. He also reflected on the lasting legacy of the past, particularly for victims of massive human rights abuses, their families, and their societies. “The future of dealing with the past,” de Greiff said in his opening remarks, “is another way of referring to transitional justice.” “The question remains about the amazing endurance of the past, the fact that is does not go away. That, for example, efforts to bribe people by offering them economic development instead of justice may work for awhile but only that, for awhile,” he continued. “There are things that we cannot reasonably expect our fellow citizens to forget…. In many ways, [not] dealing with the past is not an option.” De Greiff pointed to the field’s many triumphs in its relatively brief history, especially its normative impact on both human rights discourse and practice. “Transitional justice has unpacked and, in that sense, helped to give richer content to the notion of justice that is relevant in the wake of massive and systematic violations and abuses,” he said. “Transitional justice has helped to entrench rights to justice, truth, and reparations that 30 years ago were largely fictions for the overwhelming majority of victims of human rights violations and abuses. And it has done it not only doctrinally but also importantly practically.” The Special Rapporteur, however, insisted on modesty in his overall assessment of the field and its capacity for transformative change. “As it has been said of peace agreements, I think transitional justice is not meant to take people to heaven; it is meant to take people out of hell,” he said. “Transitional justice, I want to insist, is not is a universal policy tool, a cure for all sorts of maladies. It is a small, albeit important, part of a broader transformative agenda.”