ABSTRACT
What is the purpose of transitional justice? The answer to this question has too often been assumed rather than explicitly articulated in the theory and practice of transitional justice. From the perspective of those recovering from mass violence and gross human rights violations, justice may be sought as redress for crimes, but it may also be sought as a way of coming to terms with the past and building a peaceful future. Justice, reconciliation and peace are seen as inextricably intertwined (Lambourne 2002). And yet, relatively few transitional justice scholars consider the goals of peace and reconciliation, instead continuing to focus primarily on the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law without situating their research in a peacebuilding context.2
