For quite some time, there has been an international debate as to whether it is possible to bring peace to regions affected by conflict without instilling justice. Though the sequence of peace and justice is debatable, there is no doubt that peace cannot be attained without justice. While it is easy to attain peace, that peace cannot be maintained without justice.
The best case study that highlights the fact that justice provides stability in a region in Liberia. Liberia is a small country found the western part of the African continent. Like many other regions of Africa, Liberia has been plagued by internal strife. However, the conflicts came to an end in 2003-2005 after the formation of a transitional government where the warring parties shared power. Elections were conducted in 2005 as they were regarded by the international community as free and fair. The elections bore the first woman president in Africa and from that period the country has been largely calm and peaceful. However, what has sustained the stability in Liberia is the fact that perpetrators of crimes against humanity were brought to book (Kabia 12). The International Criminal Court pursued the former President, Charles Taylor. He was charged with murder, rape and use of child soldiers among many other crimes.
An example that shows that there can never be peace without justice is the prolonged conflict between Israel and Palestine. The Israel-Palestine conflict has been on-going since the mid-20th century. Though numerous peace treaties have been signed, stability has not been attained owing to the fact that some issues pertaining the conflict have never been addressed justly (Caplan 20). There has been a perception that Israel is favoured in the peace agreements made, and that has always been used by Palestine leaders to prop up the conflict. Another case example is Syria. Syria has not known peace since 2011, and the main reason is the failure to bring justice to the people of Syria. The Syrian government committed atrocities, and when the people began to protest, they were repulsed with chemical weapons (Gibson and Lando 220). The situation has been so dire to the point that the extremist organization, ISIL, was started in the country. The fact that no one has been brought to account for their activities has continuously fuelled the conflict.
Works Cited
Caplan, Neil. The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Contested Histories. Chichester, U.K: Wiley- Blackwell, 2010. Internet resource.
Gibson, Steven, and Agnes L. Lando. Impact of Communication and the Media on Ethnic Conflict. , 2016. Internet resource.
Kabia, John M. Humanitarian Intervention and Conflict Resolution in West Africa: From Ecomog to Ecomil. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate, 2009. Internet resource.
