Forgiveness Vs. Justice

This past week, we watched Cry Freedom, a film that shed light on the work of black activists during the Apartheid.  What intrigued me about this movie was not only the actions that these leaders took to help the black population gain equality, but also their non-violent approach to reaching an egalitarian society.  Throughout the course of the movie, I attempted to put myself in the position of the leaders who tried to represent and advocate for the black population.  I tried to imagine both their bravery and their anger as activists and friends were arrested, tortured, and killed. 

The film ended without an explanation of how the Apartheid dissolved or how power shifted to the black majority.  So, I decided to look for more information on how the new leaders of the country chose to punish the white population after the Apartheid.  What I found completely contradicted how I would have dealt with the situation.  Rather than trying, convicting, and punishing the politicians and the police, the new leaders in South Africa established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Commission was a court-like body that was created to uncover the truth about human rights violations that had occurred during the Apartheid.  Rather than prosecuting individuals for past crimes, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission focused on gathering evidence and uncovering information from both victims and perpetrators.  The entire objective of the Commission was to uncover the truth.

After learning about this, I could not understand how people who were treated so poorly under the Apartheid regime could have continued with their non-violent approach to gaining equality. Why did the black majority in South Africa not rise up and take revenge on the white population? Why didn’t they put every policeman that enforced the racist laws on trial?

I believe that Nelson Mandela and his government’s ability to forgive in South Africa reflected a characteristic of a great leader and thinker.  I believe that the leaders of the black population in South Africa realized that punishing all of the white individuals who may have committed atrocities against the blacks would not be beneficial to the country and the South African population.  These leaders realized that a bloody revenge against their previously harsh oppressors would not lead the country in the direction of peace and equality that they had dreamed of. Nelson Mandela, the president of South Africa, explained that “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.” His vision of what South Africa should be was a peaceful and equal society. I believe that the leaders of the country after the Apartheid such as Nelson Mandela understood the distinction between what was just and what was needed for their country. The intelligent decision was not to pursue justice, but rather to forgive and move on. These leaders helped reshape the country of South Africa.

I would argue that this is not always the right response to dealing with the aftermath of crimes and injustices.  I believe that sometimes, pursuing justice is a better course of action. Sometimes serving justice to wrongdoers is what countries, people, and the world needs.  Justice (and revenge) can be used not only to equal the playing field, but also to prove that some actions cannot go unpunished. For example, if a murderer were to be caught and then forgiven and let go, there would be no clear punishment to stop future murderers from killing.  There would be no punishment to be afraid of.  The decision to bring a murderer to trial and to pursue justice for his/her actions is the right decision because it keeps society in order.

I also think that pursuing justice is important because often times justice brings a sense of comfort, closure, and relief that can help a victimized nation or a population recover and grow.  For example, I believe that the decision to prosecute the leaders of the Nazi government and deliver justice to those who had committed crimes against humanity in the Nuremburg Trials was in the best interest of the victims of World War II.  After years of unfathomable suffering, forgiving the Nazis would not have helped anyone or any society.  The Nuremburg Trials brought a sense of revenge and closure to those who had lost everything in the war.

But as the post-Apartheid period showed, sometimes the most beneficial decision for a country is not to pursue justice and fairness, but rather to forgive and move on.  Black leaders in South Africa such as Nelson Mandela decided not to take revenge on their white oppressors, but rather to uncover, acknowledge, and forgive their crimes for the good of their country.  The decision of whether to forgive or to pursue justice is not always clear-cut.  I believe that the validity of these decisions is circumstantial.  It depends on what is best for the future of a nation, a population, or the world.