South Africa's Amnesty Process: A Viable Route Toward Truth and Reconciliation

Authors

Emily H. McCarthy, United States District Court for the District of Columbia

Abstract

The road to democracy for South Africa was based on compromise. One of the most significant compromises made by the negotiators was the acceptance of an amnesty process culminating in the passage of the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act of 1995. The Act grants full indemnity from criminal and civil prosecution to anyone affiliated with a political organization who committed an "act associated with a political objective" and who fully discloses all relevant facts. The purpose of the Act is twofold: to establish the "truth" about the apartheid past and to promote "reconciliation" among South Africans. Unfortunately, such goals are often in conflict. This Note examines the origin and nature of the Act, how it is being applied,

Recommended Citation

Emily H. McCarthy, South Africa's Amnesty Process: A Viable Route Toward Truth and Reconciliation, 3 Mich. J. Race & L. 183 (1997).
Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol3/iss1/4