CONFLICT RESOLUTION: TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS IN A POST-WAR SYRIA

Abstract

This paper examines transitional justice mechanisms, drawing from their application in previous cases to make recommendations for a post-conflict Syria. The civil war has seen numerous parties on all sides commit war crimes and human rights abuses, meaning that foreign actors will need to play a role in overseeing the transitional justice process and economic reconstruction in Syria following the conflict’s end. This paper suggests that, considering the likely victory of the Syrian government, combination of amnesties, truth commissions, and reparations should be pursued by the conflict’s actors and overseen by foreign mediators. Further, third parties should aid in reparation payments to victims and implement adoption schemes to allow for a quicker and more productive process of economic reconstruction. Pursuing these mechanisms will allow for a stable post-conflict Syria in which human rights are better protected.