The white-minority apartheid regime in South Africa fell in 1990, which had been previously held in place by force of arms, torture, repression, and at times outright murder. It was replaced by a representative democracy led by the African National Congress, in 1991. One way that the ANC and the majority of South Africans, white and black, tried to heal the previous decades of repression was through the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. People who had faced repression, mainly blacks by the apartheid regime, but even a few whites, claiming repression by the ANC testified. Former pepretators, mainly whites from the apartheid regime, were able to petition for amnesty by recounting their crimes, and promising repentance. http://www.justice.gov.za/trc/amntrans/index.htm This all happened in South Africa, from 1994 to 1999. It's results are being questioned.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(South_Africa)
Some claim that it did not go far enough, in punishing the perpretators of vast injustices against the Black South Africans, in the decades from 1960 to 1990. But whatever the results so far, it is a fact that this country has managed to come through this dramatic transition from white-minority repression of the black majority, to a more representative form of government (at least legislatively, but still not economically), with remarkably little bloodshed.
An inspiration for the World, and a place we feel worthy of visiting, and reporting on in the coming years, here at A.P.R.
In previous articles here at A.P.R., we have documented the illegality and immorality of the attack and occupation of a relatively defenseless country, the sovereign nation of Iraq, whose crime it is to sit upon the World's second largest pool of sweet, easily refined, crude oil.
http://akprogressive.blogspot.com/2008/12/who-are-we.htmlWhich has lead to the deaths of at least one million innocent civilians, and still counting, and 4 million refugees, out of a population of 23 million, who fled for safety to neighbouring countries. With countless criminal acts of murder by occupational troops. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/04/05-6
An invasion undertaken, not just for the control of these vast resources, but to enforce a "Shock Doctine" in "free-market" economic policies upon it.
How are we ever going to stop this ongoing tragedy and criminal enterprise, until we as a nation face up to the truth? And hold to account, and punish those responsible?
Small, hopeful cracks are beginning to appear in the exceptionalist mainstream of America. This article came out today in Commondreams, and we found it very worthy of sharing, and commenting upon:
An Open Letter of Reconciliation and Responsibility to the Iraqi People
From Current and Former Members of the U.S. Military
by Josh Stieber and Ethan McCord
Peace be with you.
To all of those who were injured or lost loved ones during the July 2007 Baghdad shootings depicted in the "Collateral Murder" Wikileaks video: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/04/05-6
We write to you, your family, and your community with awareness that our words and actions can never restore your losses.
We are both soldiers who occupied your neighborhood for 14 months. Ethan McCord pulled your daughter and son from the van, and when doing so, saw the faces of his own children back home. Josh Stieber was in the same company but was not there that day, though he contributed to the your pain, and the pain of your community on many other occasions.
There is no bringing back all that was lost. What we seek is to learn from our mistakes and do everything we can to tell others of our experiences and how the people of the United States need to realize what have done and are doing to you and the people of your country. We humbly ask you what we can do to begin to repair the damage we caused.
We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created. From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out in this region.
We acknowledge our part in the deaths and injuries of your loved ones as we tell Americans what we were trained to do and carried out in the name of "god and country". The soldier in video said that your husband shouldn't have brought your children to battle, but we are acknowledging our responsibility for bringing the battle to your neighborhood, and to your family. We did unto you what we would not want done to us.
More and more Americans are taking responsibility for what was done in our name. Though we have acted with cold hearts far too many times, we have not forgotten our actions towards you. Our heavy hearts still hold hope that we can restore inside our country the acknowledgment of your humanity, that we were taught to deny.
Our government may ignore you, concerned more with its public image. It has also ignored many veterans who have returned physically injured or mentally troubled by what they saw and did in your country. But the time is long overdue that we say that the value of our nation's leaders no longer represent us. Our secretary of defense may say the U.S. won't lose its reputation over this, but we stand and say that our reputation's importance pales in comparison to our common humanity.
With such pain, friendship might be too much to ask. Please accept our apology, our sorrow, our care, and our dedication to change from the inside out. We are doing what we can to speak out against the wars and military policies responsible for what happened to you and your loved ones. Our hearts are open to hearing how we can take any steps to support you through the pain that we have caused.
Solemnly and Sincerely,
Josh Stieber, former specialist, U.S. Army
Ethan McCord, former specialist, U.S. Army
Sign a petition here. http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5966/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2724
We found this article particularly moving and hopeful today, and hope that you do too. Unfortunately, our corporate mass-media still does not allow coverage of material like this, so we have to spread the word ourselves, please do! Some form of truth and reconciliation committee will be needed in this country, if it is ever to survive as a vital and engaging member of the community of nations on this planet.
