Peace vs. justice: the perceived and real contradictions of conflict resolution and human rights

Abstract

The perceived dilemma between a choice of focusing on justice or peace after armed conflict continues to be an issue around the globe. Particularly the treatment of perpetrators remains a highly contentious issue, whether amnesty is a policy of impunity or is a necessary evil to get to a peace agreement in the first place. While the importance of justice is increasingly gaining grounds, cases around the globe show the difficulty to punish the perpetrators.
Part of the peace versus justice debate is also affecting the fields of human rights and conflict resolution that are divided on the topic and still fail to communicate effectively between each other. Only by understanding their differences, it is possible to collaborate successfully together.
 
Artículo de investigación científica que trabaja el tema de la justicia y la paz en el marco de un conflicto armado. Versions of this article were published on the blog of the author: http://johanneslanger.com