The power of silence. (c2014)

Abstract

The Power of Silence: Impunity and Accountability in Lebanon by Michelle Bouchebel explores the extent to which transitional justice mechanisms could help to strengthen accountability and the rule of law in Lebanon and suggests several options for the kinds of transitional justice mechanisms that could be explored, taking into account the current political context of the country. The study draws on, and seeks to contribute to, literature on transitional justice as well as literature on the Lebanese civil war and its aftermath. In an effort to assess the feasibility of implementing transitional justice mechanisms in Lebanon, the study develops four criteria: political feasibility, impact on rule of law, economic viability and potential for quick wins. Applying these criteria, the study argues that judicial reform targeting the independence of the judiciary; security sector reform targeting the behavior and mindsets of both the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces, and adopting a bottom-up, civil society-led informal truth process, could be expected to produce some tangible results in the short to medium-term. It further argues that their real importance lies in the normative change they would bring to Lebanese politics with regard to dealing with the past: towards a more just and more equal society and away from a culture of kleptocracy and muhasasa which have dominated the post-war reconstruction and reform efforts in the country.