The NGO Working Group on Reparations represents a number of NGOs concerned about reparation for and the future welfare of victims of gross human rights abuse. One of these concerns has been government’s long delay in finalising policy and payment to victims identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The TRC’s “final” final report must be nearly complete, and we presume it will go to the government very soon. We hope that it will contain strong and clear recommendations that will address the real needs of the thousands of victims, and will contribute to the longed-for reconciliation which our country needs.
We believe the recommendations should include payment of R21 000 a year to each victim for six years, as proposed by the TRC Reparations and Rehabilitation Committee.
The R800-million budgeted last year by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel was an excellent start, which would have to be replicated twice to fulfil the TRC recommendations.
We should also like the establishment of a Reparations Implementing Body to attend to present and future needs of victims, for example in regard to medical treatment for delayed consequences of trauma suffered, as predicted by experts in this field, and the financing of education and training for their children. Fr. Michael Lapsley, on behalf of the NGO working group on reparations