The Relationship Between Truth Commissions and International Courts: The Case of Sierra Leone

The Lomé Peace Agreement of 7 July 1999 officially ended Sierra Leone's eight-year civil war, granted amnesty to the combatants, and provided for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to facilitate the country's healing process. Following renewed fighting, the government of Sierra Leone, with the assistance of the United Nations, established a special tribunal to try the most culpable violators of international humanitarian law and the laws of Sierra Leone. This paper considers the relationship between these two organizations and will compare their legal mandates and jurisdictional scopes. This paper will also examine the admissibility before the Special Court of testimony delivered in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing.