Notes on Sensible Politics and Transitional Justice in Peru

• ICTJ's cofounders have recognized the value of documentary film to help broaden awareness of transitional-justice issues. As Paul van Zyl, one of the cofounders, explained: "Democratic social change requires robust public discourse and deliberation…Documentary films designed to inform, engage, and mobilize publics and linked with strategic outreach campaigns play a significant role in this process" (McLagan and McKee 290).

• State of Fear represents this historic shift. The focus on the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission places it within a human rights movement that seeks to hold states responsible for securing legal rights and obligations. The objective is to change laws that enable the persistence of intolerable modes of government and to protect rights that are threatened by government action (McLagan and McKee 291).

• State of Fear opens with sweeping views of the Peruvian landscape, upon which are imposed the faces of contemporary Peruvian men, women, and children staring directly into the camera (McLagan and McKee 292).

• State of Fear was well established on human rights circuits internationally, traveling on tours organized by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International (McLagan and McKee 292).

• The first goal was to publicize the transitional-justice process in Peru via a cautionary tale about governments that manipulate popular fears of terrorism to amass power. The second objective was to provide resource material for human rights defenders, and the third was to draw attention to the suffering of the victims, the majority of whom were Quechua-speaking populations living in the Andean regions of Ayacucho and Apurímac (McLagan and McKee 293).

• It played a significant role in efforts to bring the Fujimori regime to justice and in public debates about the competing narratives of the nation's recent past put forth by Fujimori supporters as well as by the PTRC (McLagan and McKee 293).

  • Meg McLagan and Yates McKee

• Case Study: State of Fear and Transitional Justice in Peru

  • Background:

  • In recent years, collaboration between human rights activists and documentary filmmakers has been essential.

  • Use of old/new media technologies to enhance outreach and impact.

  • Key partnership with the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ).

  • Documentary Overview:

  • State of Fear: The Truth about Terrorism (2005) covers Peruvian repression (1980-2000).

  • Based on findings from the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (PTRC).

  • Highlights manipulation of terrorism fears by the state, leading to violence and rights abuses.

  • The film represents a shift from traditional documentary to transmedia storytelling as a method for social change.

• Understanding Transitional Justice

  • Focuses on addressing past human rights violations during transitions from authoritarian rule.

  • Emerged globally in the late '80s and early '90s, particularly in Latin America and Eastern Europe.

  • Strategies:

  • Criminal prosecutions and truth commissions.

  • Reparations initiatives to recognize victims and promote reconciliation.

• Role of ICTJ:

  • Founded by lawyers from the South African Truth Commission to share best practices.

  • Active in over 30 countries, advocating for transitional justice.

• Filmmaking and Outreach:

  • Skylight Pictures created State of Fear to highlight authoritarian manipulation of terrorism fears.

  • Partnered with ICTJ; crucial funding from the Ford Foundation.

  • Focus on building narratives through the voices of local activists and communities.

• Film Production and Collaboration:

  • Engaged with local human rights activists and the Peruvian Truth Commission for historical accuracy.

  • Utilized the PTRC's archives, enhancing the film's authenticity and relatability.

• Impact of 'State of Fear':

  • The film illustrated the links between government actions, repression, and human rights abuses in Peru.

  • Educated communities on their rights and the consequences of state terror, with significant focus on indigenous groups.

• Outreach Strategy:

  • Aimed to create awareness of truth commissions and the transitional justice process.

  • Built partnerships with local human rights organizations for further distribution and impact.

  • Use of new technologies to disseminate information widely and engage with diverse communities (e.g., community screenings, online platforms).

• Quechua-Language Version:

  • Acknowledged importance of making the film accessible in indigenous languages.

  • Critical in engaging Quechua-speaking populations and documenting their stories.

  • The film’s outreach included a Quechua-language version, facilitating ownership of narratives among indigenous communities.

• Conclusion:

  • State of Fear exemplifies the role of documentary as a transformative tool in civil society.

  • Promotes a culture of accountability and social justice through storytelling.

  • Fujimori's 2009 conviction for human rights abuses marked a significant step in Peru's transitional justice process.

ICTJ's cofounders have rec-

ognized the value of documentary film to help broaden awareness of transitional-

justice issues. As Paul van Zyl, one of the cofounders explained it: "Democratic

social change requires robust public discourse and deliberation…Documen-

tary films designed to inform, engage, and mobilize publics and linked with strate-

gic outreach campaigns play a significant role in this process."?

tate of Fear represents this historic shift. The focus on

the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission places it within a human rights

movement that seeks to hold states responsible for securing legal rights and obli-

gations. The objective is to change laws that enable the persistence of intolerable

modes of government and to protect rights that are threatened by government

State of Fear opens with sweeping views of the Peruvian landscape, upon which

are imposed the faces of contemporary Peruvian men, women, and children staring

directly into the camera (fig. 2).mposed the faces of contemporary Peruvian men, women, and children staring

directly into the camera (fig. 2). T

State

of Fear was well established on human rights circuits internationally, traveling on

tours organized by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

The first goal was to publicize transitional-justice process in Peru via a cautionary tale about governments that manipulate popular fears of terrorism to amass power.

The second objective resource materia or human rights defenders, and the third was to draw attention to the suffering of the victims, the majority of whom were Quechua-speaking

populations living in the Andean regions of Ayacucho and Apurimac.

It played a significant role in efforts to bring the Fujimori regime to jus-

tice and in public debates about the competing narratives of the nation's recent

past put forth by Fujimori supporters as well as by the PTRC

It played a significant role in efforts to bring the Fujimori regime to jus-

tice and in public debates about the competing narratives of the nation's recent

past put forth by Fujimori supporters as well as by the PTRC