Donor-driven transitional justice and peacebuilding

The prescription of transitional justice (TJ) has become the norm when societies emerge from violent conflict and/or political repression. Because of the realities of most post-conflict situations, funding and logistical support for TJ comes primarily from international sources. Post-conflict situations vary, but there has developed internationally a template of TJ tailored to attract international support and resources and a self-reinforcing dynamic is emerging: the international community insists that TJ processes must conform to international norms and standards, donors look to invest their monies in trusted mechanisms, a professionalised contingent of scholars and practitioners provides expertise and promises outcomes, and recipient governments, NGOs and other practitioners synchronise their performance with donor expectations and demands. This paper interrogates the ethical dilemmas when TJ is donor driven, points out some of the dangers when TJ is externally defined, de-contextualised, technicised and results oriented, and suggests some alternative ways of approaching transitions.