Memorializing Kenya’s Postelection Violence: Forgive and Forget?
Start Date
13-1-2012 9:00 AM
End Date
13-1-2012 10:30 AM
Description
Post conflict Kenya has largely ignored the important role that memorialization plays in rebuilding societies after violent conflict. Unless the present situation is remedied and memorialization given its rightful place this may undermine all other transitional justice processes that are being undertaken.
Kenya underwent bloody civil strife after its last elections held in 2007 whose results were disputed. To date, there have been a number of efforts geared at peace building in recognition of the fact that if differences in Kenyan society that caused the strife are not resolved, the country is likely to face a similar experience in the upcoming 2012 elections. However, it is notable that memorialization has largely been left out of the strategies being utilized.
Memorialization is a critical method of creating change in post conflict societies; however it has been overlooked in Kenya. A consistent theme in the messaging throughout the transition and peace building initiatives has been to forgive and forget. The research will look at the limited attempts at memorializing the period including the Kenya Burning Project and the role of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission which is mandated to create an accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights. Disciplinary discussion will include the impact of memorialization on social reconstruction, the process of determining a shared history of the conflict and healing.
Materials that will be referred to include the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Act of Kenya, which creates the Commission and mandates it to create a record of violations and other relevant law in Kenya. Interviews with civil society in Kenya will be carried out to determine their understanding and capacity to undertake memorialization programs. Surveys and reports such as the USIP report, The Urge to Remember will be reviewed. A comparative analysis of the place of memorialization in the transitional justice process in Rwanda, vis a vis the Kenyan situation will be carried out, drawing conclusions on the way forward.
Memorializing Kenya’s Postelection Violence: Forgive and Forget?
Post conflict Kenya has largely ignored the important role that memorialization plays in rebuilding societies after violent conflict. Unless the present situation is remedied and memorialization given its rightful place this may undermine all other transitional justice processes that are being undertaken.
Kenya underwent bloody civil strife after its last elections held in 2007 whose results were disputed. To date, there have been a number of efforts geared at peace building in recognition of the fact that if differences in Kenyan society that caused the strife are not resolved, the country is likely to face a similar experience in the upcoming 2012 elections. However, it is notable that memorialization has largely been left out of the strategies being utilized.
Memorialization is a critical method of creating change in post conflict societies; however it has been overlooked in Kenya. A consistent theme in the messaging throughout the transition and peace building initiatives has been to forgive and forget. The research will look at the limited attempts at memorializing the period including the Kenya Burning Project and the role of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission which is mandated to create an accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights. Disciplinary discussion will include the impact of memorialization on social reconstruction, the process of determining a shared history of the conflict and healing.
Materials that will be referred to include the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Act of Kenya, which creates the Commission and mandates it to create a record of violations and other relevant law in Kenya. Interviews with civil society in Kenya will be carried out to determine their understanding and capacity to undertake memorialization programs. Surveys and reports such as the USIP report, The Urge to Remember will be reviewed. A comparative analysis of the place of memorialization in the transitional justice process in Rwanda, vis a vis the Kenyan situation will be carried out, drawing conclusions on the way forward.