Conflict Resolution, Justice and the Law: Rebuilding the Rule of Law in the Aftermath of Complex Political Emergencies

The international community has been actively engaged in promoting the rule of law in countries emerging from internal conflicts and complex political emergencies (CPEs), through a range of international organizations, bilateral agencies and nongovernmental organizations. The record of its performance so far is mixed. Its main failures have been severe lack of coordination, inadequate sensitivity to the political context, and insufficient knowledge and engagement of the local culture and population. Three challenges must be faced by the international community to improve its performance in this area. First, it must achieve a clear and common understanding of the concept of the rule of law and its application in the post‐conflict scenario; second, it must recognize the political nature of this task, and make better use of conflict resolution tools; third, it must acknowledge that the rule of law is not simply an institution but a culture, which has to be built on indigenous traditions and involve the local...