Broken Promises: Transitional Justice Versus State Building in Post Taliban Afghanistan

Abstract

Transitional justice and state building are two main subjects in transitional governments. Generally, after World War II, and specifically after the collapse of the Soviet Union, transition often refers to change of an authoritarian regime into democracy. In 2001, Afghanistan experienced such transition along with both subjects of transitional government. Normally peaceful transition is based on compromises, and in Afghanistan transition included this characteristic. Past warlords share the power with their western counterparts and implementation of transitional justice remained on paper. Afghan officials claimed that transitional justice discourses may endanger the peace, security and stability of the government. Hence, state building became the strongest excuse for implementation of transitional justice. However, since 2001, the government of Afghanistan has grown weaker and state building process has confronted with failure. Meanwhile, Afghan society has lost its hope and does not trust the government anymore. Millions of victims of civil war expected that the new order would redress their losses and try the perpetrators of violation, but instead they witnessed that it is another wolf in sheep cloth. Government corruption has taken the second place in the world, while most of international support and fund has spent serving the self-interest of warlords. Implementation of TJ could put an end to such outcomes and strengthened the process of state building through eliminating the corrupted elements of the government, reestablishment of rule of law, and promotion of coexistence among multi-ethnic community of Afghanistan.