From Child Victims to Adult Survivors: Restorative Justice After War in Sierra Leone

You may have heard the term ‘restorative justice’ but not be sure what it really means. You may be tired of the constant headlines about countries and leaders using violence as a means to ‘bring peace’, and long to hear about approaches that seek to build peace in a way that honours that of God in everyone. Join us for a session in which we listen to and learn from a Quaker who has understanding of the meaning of restorative justice at both personal and academic levels.

In this session we will hear from Abdul Rahman Kamara, Quaker peacebuilding practitioner, researcher, and survivor of the Sierra Leone civil war. Abdul will draw on both his personal experience as a survivor of the Sierra Leone civil war and his academic research into restorative justice and post-war recovery.

What were the restorative justice processes used in Sierra Leone that sought to repair harm, promote healing, rebuild relationships, and support reconciliation between individuals and communities after conflict? What were the challenges or the gaps? Drawing on both lived experience and current doctoral research, this session will explore how people who experienced war as children have navigated the journey to adulthood, and what lessons their experiences offer for healing, reconciliation, and peacebuilding today.

In this 90-minute session, we will hear from Abdul and then have time, either individually or in small groups, to ‘digest’ what has been shared. We will then come back together into the whole group, to ask questions, share reflections and finish in worshipful silence.

This session is an opportunity to learn more about processes that Quakers have, are and could use more as a way of living our Testimony to Peace and Truth in the world.