The Right to Know and the Dealing with the Past Process in Croatia
The Right to Know and the Dealing with the Past Process in Croatia

Summary/Abstract: Dealing with the past is a long and complex process that comprehends the social treatment of gross human rights violations. The Swiss Peace Foundation have stated that “there is a relationship between the ability to address this legacy (of violent conflict) in a comprehensive and inclusive manner and the potential to develop sustainable peace”. In this sense, the Right to know (along with several other elements) is a key element in the dealing with the past purpose. This should be understood as the duty of the State to provide relivable information about events of the past to society, and especially to victims and their families. Part of the activities linked to the right to know is the establishment of truth and reconciliation commissions, together with the documentation of human rights violations and preservation. The Croatian War of Independence was a large scale conflict between 1991 and 1995 in which several human rights violations were committed. Nowadays Croatia face the challenge to overcome the experience as it still is a post-conflict country, and deal with collective memories. Therefore, this paper analyze the role of the Croatian government have had in this regard. It especially observe their purse of political legitimacy based on patriotic narratives which not always converge with historiographical facts.

• Details
• Contents