Restorative justice for Niger Delta.

Source: (2009) Antwerpen: Maklu.

This book seeks to complement the available conflict resolution mechanisms for a stable Niger Delta region. It examines restorative justice as an emerging conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanism that could be of benefit to the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In recent times restorative justice has been implemented in approximately two dozen countries around the world. Most prominent among these in Africa has been South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Morocco and Kenya. Most approaches of restorative justice in Africa focus on pardon rather than punishment. These developments suggest that the idea of restorative justice is not just a fashion but represent an innovative approach for citizens of many countries wrestling with the question of how to live with post-conflict situations. More important insight can be found in the transcripts of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In that Commission ordinary people had the chance to tell their story. It was open, public process that relied strongly on a widespread desire to heal wounds, not exact retribution. (excerpt)