Truth and Reconciliation Bill

Provisional World Parliament, 13th Session

Whereas, due to the deep complexity of the world we live in, and the immense internal and external pressures on individuals within all nations to compromise democratic principles, human rights, freedom, and/or equality in a world that is often a dog eat dog affair filled with dangers and temptations;

And due to the fact that many officials of nations have been compromised by pressures from gigantic corporate, nation-state, or criminal forces that treat the world as a field for exploitation and domination;

And due to the fact that the emerging Earth Federation is dedicated to establishing a new world system premised on peace, justice, equality, freedom, prosperity, and environmental sustainability;

And because the newly emergent Earth Federation will seek peace and reconciliation among all the world’s actors;

We delegates of the 13th session of the Provisional World Parliament hereby establish the Truth and Reconciliation Bureau of the Earth Federation.

• General definition for use by the Bureau: A truth and reconciliation commission is tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government and/or non-state actors (depending on circumstances) with the goal of resolving conflict inherited from past injustices, conflicts, or perceptions of such conflicts and injustices. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established after the ending of apartheid, is often thought of as a model of such commissions. The purpose of commissions is to record an accurate and honest history of what happened (and not rewrite history in the service of some state or group), to clear the air through public testimonies and proceedings, and to balance forgiveness and reconciliation of past wrongs with a justice that is often demanded by victims of past wrongs. This is a difficult and delicate task but extremely important if the world is to move forward into a new era of peace with justice.
• The Earth Federation government does not see its duty as judging and punishing past wrongs within or between nations, but rather in establishing a system of peace with justice in which such wrongs do not occur in the future. Its duty is not to play politics, and not to favor the rich or governments over the poor or marginalized groups, but to bring people together to overcome past resentments and perceptions through establishing an honest and objective historical record, through supporting efforts to bring fair and impartial justice, and through promoting forgiveness and reconciliation wherever possible.
• After the first operative stage of the Earth Federation has commenced, each nation or nations within or without the Federation who request this service shall receive Federation funding and support to establish a truth and reconciliation commission.
• The Truth and Reconciliation Bureau shall be housed within the organ of the World Ombudsmus, the commissions to be established within their respective regions.
• The Bureau shall be funded by the World Parliament using Earth Currency, and all funds allocated, received, or used by the Bureau shall require strict accountability to the World Parliament.
• The Bureau shall hire experts and scholars in the area of truth and reconciliation as needed to effectively accomplish its work and establish a public on-line library of resources and ideas for such work.
• The Bureau shall cooperate where appropriate with the Department of Conflict Resolution that operates under the authority of the World Peace and Attorneys General so as to promote peace in general and not to duplicate efforts. In general, the latter will deal with conflicts between groups not requiring the more elaborate apparatus of establishing a correct historical record and possible legal administration of justice.
• Any nation or nations (within or without the Federation) may voluntarily seek help or advice about establishing such a commission but it is not mandatory for nations to do so.
• Truth and Reconciliation Commissions may also be established between nations, between groups of nations, and/or between Federation and non-Federation nations.
• Nations seeking aid with such a commission shall be able to choose between requesting that the Bureau set up and organize the commission for them or simply receiving advice (and funding) from the Bureau on how to set up such a commission for themselves.
  • The Bureau shall offer a variety of models by which nations can set up Truth and Reconciliation Commissions for their own needs. If nations request that the Bureau undertake this task, the Bureau shall study the situation in the nation within a reasonable time frame and set up a model that is best suited to that situation.
  • Prior to the first operative stage of the Earth Federation, the Provisional World Government under the Earth Constitution shall, to the best of its resources, promote in every way it can, such truth and reconciliation commissions worldwide.

Attested, Eugenia Almand, JD, Provisional World Parliament