Victims as the Heart of the Matter: The South African Amnesty Process as Promised in Practice

The South African amnesty process, and the truth and reconciliation commission of which it is a part, has been hailed as one of the most innovative and successful commissions to address a history of gross violations of human rights in a transitional society. This paper begins to look at the accomplishments of the amnesty process from the perspective of victims - those who suffered violations of their fundamental rights at the hands of those individuals who applied for amnesty. In particular it looks at the treatment, role, and perspectives of victims as reflected in the 921 amnesty decisions published to date, and in selective transcripts of amnesty hearings.