Transitional Justice and Indigenous Peoples: A Tool for Decolonisation?

In this episode, Dr Lauren Dempster interviews Dr Claire Wright (QUB School of Law). The episode explores the relationship between indigenous peoples and transitional justice, with reference to the case of Colombia. We analyse the capacity of contemporary peacebuilding processes to deal with structural injustices rooted in colonial legacies, in this case racial hierarchies. We also explore other ways in which the post-colonial State can transform its relationships with Indigenous Peoples, namely via intercultural education, recognition of autonomy, and prior consultation. The discussion is based on research carried out within the project “Addressing post-colonial legacies in Transitional Justice”, of which Fionnuala Ni Aolain (QUB ) and Bill Rolston (Ulster) are co-PIs, under the auspices of the GCRF Gender, Justice and Security Hub. Further information on the project can be found at https://thegenderhub.com/projects/addressing-post-colonial-legacies-in-transitional-justice/

Our interviewee, Claire Wright, recently published an article (co-authored with Fionnuala Ní Aoláin and Bill Rolston) on the first phase of their project.  Claire Wright, Bill Rolston & Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (2022) Navigating colonial debris: structural challenges for Colombia’s peace accord, Peacebuilding, DOI: 10.1080/21647259.2022.2027153

A number of articles are referred to in this episode. The references are as follows:

Augustine Park (2020) ’Settler colonialism, decolonisation and radicalising transitional justice,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice, 14(2), 260-279.

Mohamed Sesay (2022) ‘Decolonization of postcolonial Africa: A structural justice project more radical than transitional justice,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice. Early online: https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijac006

Hakeem Yusuf (2018) ‘Colonialism and the dilemmas of transitional justice in Nigeria,’ International Journal of Transitional Justice,12(2), 257-276.

Belkis Izquierdo & Lieselotte Viaene (2018) Decolonizing Transitional Justice from Indigenous Territories. Peace in Progress, No. 34

https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/IPeoples/SR/IPAndJustice/22-LViaene.pdf Twitter handles: @WrightPolitics @NiAolainF @TheGenderHub @GCRF @UKRI