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C ivil S ociety P romotion of T ruth , J ustice, and R econciliation in C hile : V illa G rimaldi
Author(s) -
Baxter Victoria
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/j.0149-0508.2005.00313.x
Subject(s) - economic justice , civil society , transitional justice , political science , commission , law , politics
The purpose of this article is to explore a civil society initiative that seeks to promote truth, justice, and reconciliation in the post‐transitional society of Chile. The article will describe the role of civil society in promoting a site of memory on Villa Grimaldi, a former torture center in Santiago, Chile. The site of memory demonstrates the role that a nongovernmental organization (NGO) actor can play in complementing and in extending the work of a formal transitional justice process (i.e., a truth and reconciliation commission) in promoting truth about a past period of human rights abuses and promoting a sense of justice and reconciliation, particularly for survivors of the abuses. The case also outlines many of the relative advantages and disadvantages of civil society involvement in such initiatives.