Amnesties and intractable conflicts: Managed impunity in The Philippines' Bangsamoro peace process. Issue 4 (8th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jeffery, Renée
• Is Part Of: Journal of human rights. Volume 17:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 436
• Page End: 452
• Publication Date: 2018-08-08
• Subjects: Human rights -- Periodicals; 323.05
• DOI: 10.1080/14754835.2017.1382339
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-4835

Abstract

ABSTRACT: At the heart of intractable conflict lies a challenging paradox: impunity is both a cause of intractability and, operationalized through the granting of amnesties, one of the key tools employed by peacemakers in their attempts to end long-running periods of violent conflict. That is, impunity is simultaneously conceived of a driver and a solution to the problem of intractability. Focusing on one of the world's most intractable conflicts, the Bangsamoro conflict in The Philippines, this article examines the nature of the impunity/intractability paradox, assesses current attempts to overcome it in the Bangsamoro peace process, and argues that a process of 'managed impunity' introduced by The Philippines' Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission provides one possible way of ending impunity for human rights crimes without jeopardizing the prospects for peace.