Truth and reconciliation

Royal Gazette Opinion, Thursday 22 September 2005

Amid the bias and the editorialising that suffused the final report of the much-maligned Bermuda Independence Commission (BIC) there was one recommendation that, of itself, justified that body’s existence.

The report explicitly acknowledged the need to heal the divisions between the races in Bermuda, regardless of whether the Island pursues independence, and it urged the Government to lead such a process.

“Given the impact of race relations on attitudes towards independence, the Commission strongly recommends that Government lead a process to where the diversity of Bermuda is celebrated, where opportunity is equal and where there is genuine social unity,” it said. “The Commission believes that this could be achieved through a process of truth and reconciliation.”

It’s unfortunate that the caveat – “given the impact of race relations on attitudes towards independence” – makes it sound like the only reason for seeking to improve race relations is to make it easier for the Government to seek sovereignty. Still, if that’s what it’s going to take to prod the PLP into action on this, that’s fine by me. As the Premier appointed the BIC, it will be hard for him to ignore their call.

The Commission’s suggestion of “a process of truth and reconciliation” brings to mind South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was established to deal with what happened in that country under apartheid.

South Africa’s TRC, which has now ceased operation, was comprised of three committees. The Human Rights Violations Committee investigated human rights abuses that occurred between 1960 and 1994. Once victims were identified they were referred to the Reparation and Rehabilitation Committee, which was tasked with providing victim support and ensuring “non repetition, healing and healthy co-existence”. The Amnesty Committee considered applications for amnesty for any “act, omission or offence associated with a political objective”.

South Africa is not the only country to have launched a truth and reconciliation process, however. Peru, Ghana, East Timor, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Morocco and Paraguay have done the same. In 2003, the city of Greensboro, North Carolina established a truth and community reconciliation project to clarify the events of the 1979 Greensboro massacre. It was the first such project to be established in the United States.

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), a group established in 2001 by one of the architects of South Africa’s TRC, is aiding many of these initiatives. Its mission is to assist countries pursuing accountability for past mass atrocity or human rights abuses. Typically, that means countries that are dealing with the legacy of state-sponsored terrorism, civil war, or violent transitions to democratic rule. Extra-judicial killings, torture and police brutality are often the subject of the hearings.

As far as I am aware, the human rights violations in Bermuda’s past were not of the same magnitude. Nonetheless, perhaps it would be helpful for those blacks who were denied entry to local restaurants during the days of segregation, or who claim to have had their mortgages called in for criticising the establishment, to publicly recount their experiences. In an atmosphere of reconciliation, not retribution, some of the perpetrators of the discrimination might volunteer an apology. Moreover, it would be sobering for those without first-hand experience to hear these stories of Bermuda’s not-so-distant past.

As a first step in implementing the BIC’s recommendation for a process of truth and reconciliation, the Government should establish a Bermuda Race Commission (BRC) to determine the state of race relations in Bermuda today. It would identify what one white BIC commissioner referred to as the “remaining vestiges” of segregation in Bermuda and might incorporate the Government’s initiative on black males.

The BRC might operate in much the same way as the BIC (though hopefully they would be more even-handed), taking submissions from the public, and liaising with external organisations such as the ICTJ. Their final report would identify the remaining barriers to racial harmony, including the specific institutions afflicted by institutional racism, and outline measures to tackle it. It would say whether a TRC should be established and if so, what its terms of reference should be.

Bermuda has seen something similar before. In the wake of the riots in the 1970s, the Pitt Commission held two months of hearings during which they heard evidence from all members of the community, from the Premier to some of the rioters. “As promises to listen and make amends were made, the island’s deep social wounds slowly began to heal,” says Rosemary Jones in her book “Bermuda: Five Centuries”.

The value of the BIC report lies not in what it urges the Government to do about independence but what it urges them to do about race. Most Bermudians do not want to sever ties with the UK. However, I suspect that most would like race not to be the all-pervasive issue that it is today.

The BIC has recognised that and called for action. I look forward to the Government’s response.

Comments

[Red Riding Hood (.)(.) on 22.09.05 at 09:50]

It will be another "white wash"...HA!

[Advocatus Diaboli on 22.09.05 at 12:21]

I am certain Alex Scott will stand-up and take notice to your BRC idea, especially when it will 'spin' the issue of independence into one that's based on race & emotions of the past...rather than what is good for Bermuda. Even more telling and why I see a BRC being established in the wake of the BIC report...Alex Scott was one of the 5 members of the Pitt Royal Commission in 1978...

[Rincewind on 22.09.05 at 12:31]

well in that case it will totally unbiased

[Phil on 22.09.05 at 14:00]

Everyone's being awfully quiet about this. The failures of the BIC notwithstanding, do people think that a truth and reconciliation process would be helpful or not?

[loki on 22.09.05 at 14:03]

"Everyone's being awfully quiet about this. The failures of the BIC notwithstanding, do people think that a truth and reconciliation process would be helpful or not?"

Not under the present Government, who would, no doubt, rig the whole thing for politcal and personal gain, much as they have tried to do with the BIC and the issue of independence in general. I have no faith in, or trust of the present administration. None.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 22.09.05 at 14:27]

I think inter marriage would be a far better way of solving our problems.

[Somers on 22.09.05 at 14:30]

Agreed. And the topic doesn't deserve further comment under the current administration.

[Raptor on 22.09.05 at 15:06]

I love truth and reconciliation.

I'm all for "the diversity of Bermuda being celebrated, opportunity being equal, and there being genuine social unity." It's my dream.

I believe the PLP would manipulate such a program along racial lines to sway people toward voting for independence. Thus I do not think the time is right. Like so many of the other issues we've discussed--education, crime, finances, the BIC Report, etc., I do not see the PLP current leadership as being trustworthy and unbiased.

A Truth & Reconciliation commission would have to be led by people in the community who are universally held in high regard. It's just too sensitive a topic.

Who would you vote onto such a commission?

[Bud on 22.09.05 at 16:11]

Limey,

When are you going to realise that UBP members simply don't want to talk about the past, present or future of race relations unless it is politically convenient? If they were interested in reconciliation and equality, they would have done it through CURE when they were the Government. Result? Pissed off ex black UBP members, and black voters who will support the PLP no matter how bad they screw up. You all want to blame everyone but yourselves for this mess, when the reality is that if the UBP really was about equality the PLP would have been voted out at the last election.

[Slowhand on 22.09.05 at 16:19]

I'm getting dizzy. What thread am I on? Everywhere I look I see Bud.... saying ---- the ---- same ---- thing.
sheeeesh!

[Raptor on 22.09.05 at 16:23]

Bud, Who would you vote onto a T & R commission?

It doesn't have to be politically convenient, it has to be politically neutral.

We all know the UBP's screwed up too.

Let's do it better.

[Tiger Bay on 22.09.05 at 16:33]

It seems whenever Bermuda tries the "T&R" route it becomes overrun with embitterment and recrimination - the process never pulls together. I don't think government is equipped to lead this type of project - it's got to come from community groups and pursued at an individual level.

Call me jaded but I believe that improving education/increasing loans for students to attend good colleges will do the most to increase the middle class and create racial bridges.

[Pitts Bay on 22.09.05 at 16:34]

Bud - thanks for dropping every UBP member into the same pot!! Really appreciate it.

Can I lump you in with Dame Lois & Alex or any other psycopath that happens to be a PLP member.

[Bud on 22.09.05 at 16:47]

"I'm getting dizzy. What thread am I on? Everywhere I look I see Bud.... saying ---- the ---- same ---- thing.
sheeeesh!"

As if several people saying the same thing makes it any better.

Raptor,

Though I think he has been used by the BFR group for their purposes while he did it for his own, I have a lot of respect for Khalid Wasi - he'd be highest on my list to head a T&R.

[Bud on 22.09.05 at 16:52]

"Bud - thanks for dropping every UBP member into the same pot!! Really appreciate it.

Can I lump you in with Dame Lois & Alex or any other psycopath that happens to be a PLP member."

It would have been fairer for me to propose that most don't want to talk about race. But hey, you're not eactly taking the moral high ground by calling PLP members psychopaths.

[Red Riding Hood (.)(.) on 22.09.05 at 17:05]

Someone said in another thread something about "poisonous rhetoric", thats all we hear from Bud. How can there ever be T&R with people that think like that, all they can do is whine about the past like little children argueing in a playground.

[sandgrownan on 22.09.05 at 17:10]

I sometimes think the T&R is the last thing folks like the Bud and the PLP want. Because, once we have T&R they will no longer have an excuse for being crap.

[Pitts Bay on 22.09.05 at 17:18]

Bud - read the post. I did not say all PLP members were psychopaths. I made reference to any pyschopath that happens to be member of the PLP. In my view there are a couple, but it certainly does not encompass the whole PLP membership!

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 22.09.05 at 17:18]

Bud were No wiser---You must of drunk the CASE! Hic! Thanks for your never ending Madness ,"Its a work of Art."

[Phil on 22.09.05 at 18:18]

I'm saddened to hear that so many people think a BRC or a TRC is a non-starter because of a lack of trust in the PLP government. So should we wait until the UBP is in power to push for this? Well, there'd probably be plenty of people who wouldn't trust them to do it equitably either.

So where does that leave us? If somewhere like South Africa can run a TRC, surely we can?

Raptor

You ask a good question about who people would like to see on the commission. I would have suggested Rev. Tilson if he were still here. A well-respected and apolitical black church leader would be good, though not moving in those circles I can't think of any names. What about Sir John Swan or Jim Woolridge (not sure whether these guys would have too much political baggage though)? From what little I heard of Marc Bean at the BIC meeting, he sounded like he might be a possibility. Just brainstorming here...

Bud

When are you going to realise that UBP members simply don't want to talk about the past, present or future of race relations unless it is politically convenient

A TRC shouldn't be about what the UBP want. It shouldn't be about what the PLP want either. It should be a mechanism for helping Bermudians to get some closure to some of that old racial stuff.

[Bud on 22.09.05 at 19:41]

"Bud - read the post. I did not say all PLP members were psychopaths. I made reference to any pyschopath that happens to be member of the PLP. In my view there are a couple, but it certainly does not encompass the whole PLP membership!"

Pitts,

I read your post. I don't think that any of them should be called psychopaths. Clear now?

"I'm saddened to hear that so many people think a BRC or a TRC is a non-starter because of a lack of trust in the PLP government. "

Limey,

I have to roll my eyes when you blame it all on trust in the PLP. Whites have never fully participated in anything to do with resolving race relations. There have been forums to discuss race long before the PLP started to go down the toilet, and whites never showed up in significant numbers. They've never had an interest in putting race relations on the table for open discussion. Maybe it would be better if you were on the island for longer.

[write on 22.09.05 at 19:52]

If we say I hate black people or I hate white people would that be acceptable:

A) In public
B) In private

The problem I think we have is what we do in private is not what we not what we display in public. In other words, we don't tell the truth.

If we really believed in harmony, we would probably say we hate those idots who take away from society or we really like those do-gooders that help society.

Moving beyond race will make things better. The other day I saw two kids playing together, guess what race they were?

The human race... they were smiling, happy and oblivious of to the roles we adults set for them.

write

[Phil on 22.09.05 at 19:59]

Bud - I'm sorry, but I'm not going to continue to discuss this with you. I don't believe you're making any effort to be fair, you're just being argumentative. I may have different opinions to Guilden, Onion and jake much of the time, but at least with them I get a feeling that they are genuine and I'm happy to go back and forth with them.

You just appear to be a troll.

[slowhand on 22.09.05 at 20:09]

Right on Limey!

[Bud on 22.09.05 at 22:08]

I'm not making an effort to be fair? You won't even entertain the fact that whites have never willingly particpated in race resolution forums. That is a fact, Limey - John Swan is giving you reasons why. No one here will claim that whites have been gung-ho about addressing race, because they know it is a lie. What evidence do you have that these lot would be genuinely interested in T&C in the first place? History has shown that they've never been interested, so why place all the blame on the PLP?

Don't hide behind a troll defence - Guilden and Onion think this website is genuinely biased. I can't say where Jake stands, but he isn't actually here much, is he? You ever figured there might be a solid reason why you only have three irregular black posters on this blog? Ding, ding, ding.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 22.09.05 at 22:22]

Yeah right,,,,since when has it been apparent what colour anyone is? The type looks all black to me....meanwhile the background is white. Watch out for 789.

[Somers on 23.09.05 at 08:41]

Good point Wolf...

[JJ on 23.09.05 at 10:32]

So, Bud, reading your repetitive drivel on different topics on this blog is it fair to say that you have nothing to add to the discussion about making things better going forward and merely want to whine incessantly about the past?

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 23.09.05 at 10:45]

The Past...a wake...something you sit on a boat and look out at...Fluffy White Water!

[thebiglebowski on 23.09.05 at 12:41]

What's all this race reconcilation talk about. I'm a white 30 year old Bermudian, and the way I see it, it's black that need to get their act together. There's all this ingrained hate against whites and why. Most whites put their heads down and mind their own business and go about their life. It's the blacks who are committing all the crime. Almost all the violent acts are black against black. I don't see any white people slashing or stabbing anyone of any colour. And why are white suspcious of independence? Because the PLP are following the lead of all other black governments the have lead colonies to independence, they are corrupt, gready autocratic and out to fill thier own bank accounts. So keep on go independent give Bermuda a new red gold green flag and see what happens. The white people will leave, and take any credibility this island had with them and soon after the insurance companies will follow them. Then you'll have your perfect little ghetto. This is a rant and erase it if you want BUT YOU KNOW IT IS THE TRUTH.

[loki on 23.09.05 at 12:46]

Hi Lebowski,

I think you've misread your roadmap somewhat and ended up at the wrong website - to get to the BermudaFreeSpeechForum, you take a right turn off intolerance highway, right before you get to www.getyourselfafuckingclueyoubigot.com/

Hope this helps. Ta ta for now, sweetie. Must dash.....

[Ethiops on 23.09.05 at 13:59]

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) -- South Africa has for the first time moved to seize land from a white commercial farmer, saying that negotiations to buy the property to hand over to black claimants were taking too long.

I wondering if that would work for tuckers town land that was taken from my people. :)

I thought blogs were a playground for trolls to begin with, what do I know?

lebowski, if a red green and gold flag is all it takes for people to leave here it would bring to light that their interest for being here in the first place.
You say only whites are credible and when they leave they'll take it will them. Man, you're an ass haha that is so damn racist and cause you haven't seen a white kid stab or slash someone don't mean it don't happen. Some would also argue that bermuda is already a perfect little ghetto and has been for quite sometime. Ok my racist lil piglet...

[Ethiops on 23.09.05 at 14:39]

I'm no longer sure talking about anything serves anything other than chat to be honest. I'm looking for action, what are we doing to show that we even want to treat others with basic human respect. Talk minus action equals bullshit.
What will come out of all the hours people troll on blogs like this? Maybe a seed or two will be planted, maybe people will become evenmore closed minded as they reinforce their old ideas.
I want physical changes that the common eye can see, not reports, studies, and more research. Continue rambling bout the problems to keep our eyes off the solutions is getting old as the hills.

[Onion on 23.09.05 at 16:53]

The T&R in SA was an opportunity for persons who had committed race hate crimes to come out and confess their crimes and be given amnesty in return. I am not sure how this would work in Bermuda because most of the infractions committed by those alive today were probably not illegal. In Bermuda what will we have? An old white guy coming out and saying:

"Hello everyone, my name is John Doe and I confess that when my daughter told me she wanted to date this black guy I grounded her for 6 months"......OR......"when I was manger at the bank I preferred to hire whites over blacks."

or Conversely:

"I called someone a honky once"....OR...."Deep inside, I'm happy they shot the governor."

And then what would be the incentive to spilling your guts? A handshake? It's easy in a big country like SA. The Africaaner can just go and hide out on his farm after confessing how he fed blacks to his pet lions. In Bermuda everyone will remember that person for life and he/she will never live it down nor will that person have the cover of anonymity. Bermudians are very self-conscious people and I cannot see anyone stepping forward to make any public confessions.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 23.09.05 at 17:08]

We should have an arranged marriage culture like the Indians between all families in Bermuda.These marriages seem to work out much better than our Western versions.It would be great for the gentecic pool of Bermuda too!

[Bill Cook on 23.09.05 at 17:24]

Wolf

In Ireland they had children from different religions be brought up in different households to eliminate division.

Apparently it worked pretty well but was abandoned but would be very interesting to see how that concept would go down here !

[Onion on 23.09.05 at 17:27]

Maybe we could form a Ranting Commission for the likes of Bigleblowski. His grammatically challenged comments illustrate that our education system coninues to fail us. However, let us not discount how the spewing of this paragraph of drivel has obviously been a therapeutic exercise for this person. I also believe that there are many who also think like this - they just express it in more politically (and grammatically) correct terms.

But let me just say this. Whilst you may see more blacks in prisons and in the news for violent crimes, if you think that dysfunctionality in this country rests solely in the black community you are seriously deluded. Next time you visit St. Brendan's (I assume you are a regular) have a look to see who is also picking up their methodone. Have a chat with the heads of the drug and alcohol rehab facilities in Bermuda and let them tell you who their clients are. Those white Bermudians that don't get treatment locally have the finances to go overseas to get treatment anonymously. Go to family court and see the families that are breaking up and how the children are made to suffer. Go to Front Street by the docks and see the drug addicts and alcoholics washing cars and selling their bodies to make extra change. Of course blacks would be in the majority, but we are also in the majority in this country. My friend, if you think white people in this country have "sh*t that don't stink" you live in a bleddy dream world.

ALL of us in Bermuda need to get our act together.

You think every white Bermudian can afford to hop on a plane and leave if the going gets tough? You sound like the old FEMA director.

[Pitts Bay on 23.09.05 at 17:31]

Onion

I agree with you. Personally I liked Loki's instructions.

[Onion on 23.09.05 at 17:43]

Loki said it best.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 23.09.05 at 17:44]

Actually there are better directions....but ^..^ IS Trying to, "BEHAVE BABY!" and when the wind is up like dis...I'm like a ^..^ chasing a piece of silver foil!!! I see de vind blow it too and fro and all I vant to do is Bite de Thing ...just Like I do de Principle!!Grrrrr!!

[Ethiops on 23.09.05 at 18:10]

With 14 million blacks in the burbs of s Africa. It’s pathetic that 60,000 whites still run the show and own all the good farm land. Every acre of land that was swindle or stolen should be taken back by any means. While I have no problems with whites I say to hell with supporting the idea that they've changed. They went there and sucked the land dry of its riches and treated the locals like shit. They should drive every last one of um out the country and above all take back control of their diamond and gold mines. Really all they've done was shift the focus off the way things were, by, putting a few black faces in politics while they still own all the real power within the country. Africa is a sickening subject and South Africa is one of the more bitter. White people there are animals like those that destroyed the TASMANIAN ABORIGINES. When you read the counts of disturbing violence that they endured. Then have to bring it to focus to your little life in Bermuda. It ain't easy to see the clarity of someone’s smile to know if it’s fake or not. How hard it is to trust whites looking at their track record. Slavery, freedom to work for previous owners, gombey dancers told to keep dancing but sing in English, were does it all end?
I can't see any Bermudians coming forward either. I also see that many don't feel the need to do so or care to even understand how they benefit from a system that was put in place to favour them over others.
Anyhow resentments bubble on a slow fire and in the end boil over.
Could the push for independence be the result of un-dealt with resentments over the past? Who knows really? As for dealing with the past many whites have made it clear on this site that they could give a rat’s ass about something that has nothing to do with them. To the point even that they don’t even wanna hear it. It’s all fine by me I get the logic. If my forefathers stole goods or did hideous things to better his future generations I’d probably not wanna speak to quickly on the issue either.

[Bill Cook on 23.09.05 at 18:28]

Onion,

If we can accurately get statistics on income, home ownership and executive positions etc, based on race with little rancour, why is it when we try to apply the same rationale to crime in Bermuda, the entire perspective changes,and suddenly the focus changes from the subject matter to the messenger?

I would have thought that a discussion concerning Truth and Reconciliation would mean addressing all these issues.
Was I mistaken ?

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 23.09.05 at 20:32]

I am alive in myself right now....My life is like a fire burning in a wheat field.The black ashes of the burnt wheat stalks are the past,Where the fire burns right now red is the present and the future is that golden wheat field to the horizon .There is so much to dwell on in the Universe than human beings turning on themselves.Travel all through history right and wrong is wrapped in all of humanity.You make it better as I try to myself.

[blovator on 23.09.05 at 21:41]

THere will be no T&R commision in Bermuda for several reasons -

1 we don't have a person with the dignity, resolution and public respect of Desmond Tutu. This sort of person is necessary as the general witness to accept, hear, judge and feel the pain of the whole country. The process doesn't work unless such a person can be found - a profound witness as it were. Such people are very rare.

2 IT only works when the country is tired of strife and people are ready to give up thier pride to get reconition. Bermudians have no reason to give up their pride. Every year most of them get a little richer. There is no reason to give up prejudices or privately nurtured grievances. Bermuda's race issues are bought off with a steady rate of economic improvement. They never go away until they are dealt with. To break such a condition would require leadership. We have not had a leader of that kind ever.

3 a corralary to the above is that people are inherently violent and like the adrenilin they get from a bit of hate. Its much harder to admit that you are an destructive person or that you are a victim. Once you admit it it, healing is possible - the reward? - no more adrenilin rush - and thats no fun. So hatred needs secrecy. And Bermudiasn have always nurtured their hatred in secret. For T&R to work the population has to be exhausted by violence and hate. That happened in SA. Not so in Bermuda.

4 At this point what is there to admit to? Some whites are afraid or disdaining of blacks - some blacks are afraid or disdaining of whites. When's the last time CURE found a really good case against someone? Been a long time. Bermudians are big on loathing gays, but thats an accepted permitted prejudice so its OK. The real problems have moved on from that stage of developement. If the PLP had won 20 years ago then they might have been in a postion to do that. Then won late in the historical process and now the only big flashy thing to do is independence.

The UBP and PLP both used independence to avoid dealing with the real issues of race which are education and housing. I would have considered an affirmative action program a good idea. The PLP is doing that but there is no system or organization to it. Its just a practice of promoting blacks in government wily-nily. Such practice beckons to corruption like a jar of cookies to a child. We will reap the bad harvest of this managerial incompetance - be sure. It was one of my first disenchantments with the PLP, after they got into power, said they intended to empower blacks and then failed to organized a process for doing that. It reminded me some much of the UBP.

Which leads me to the last reason. I think that Bermudians of the two races are actually not particularly fond of each other. To so many people of either race, the Bermuda they think of when they think about Bermuda, is the Bermuda populated by their race. They don't want to be reminded of this issue or that there is a whole other Bermuda full of families in the other race. They don't like it. And they have two parties who are ready to oblige them but not leading and allowing the situation to continue.

We will go on embracing the hatreds of our fathers and grandfathers for years to come.

Unless of course - we start killing each other.

[Bald Eagle on 23.09.05 at 21:53]

Come on people, help me to understand this mess. I just received an Employee Information Form from the Department of Statistics. At the bottom the new employee in the company is supposed to circle one racial group to which they belong. Chose from:
1. Black.
2. White.
3. Asian.
4. Black and White.
5. Black and Other.
6. White and Other.
7. Other Races.
Now how many shades and subleties can there be based on these choices I ask. And how many of us can say for sure what mix is in our blood today...60/40?, 50/50?, 51/49?, 15/85. Pick any number!
At what point does the mix become critical, one way or the other? In the guide notes on the back of this form those of Portuguese origin are even told that they can answer this supposedly important question based on one's own opinion. On the same page the demand for this information is justified because ' this allows us to make informed decisions rather than guess'.
So when it comes to T and R would we have to prove first how white we are, or how black we are, before it can be decided whether or not we were on the taking or the receiving end of past inequities ? (Assuming it was whites or shades of white that took and it was blacks or shades of black that were denied in some way.) And could it mean that if I am 49.5/50.5 white/black mix that I can stake my claim, while my my brother who could be 50.5/49.5 can not? Can I prove it one way or the other anyway?
There must be a good number of Bermudians out there that cannot claim the purity of 'blackness' or 'whiteness' that some racial categories on this form imply or know with any degree of certainty what their racial mix is.
Hopefully there are even more whose thinking is seldom black and white on any matter to warrant taking an extreme position as they go about their daily lives.
Like mine, their heads must be spinning on this issue. Perhaps Big Bad Wolf is right and we should all be heading to the bushes to really mix it up.

[Phil on 23.09.05 at 22:24]

I think the value of a T&R process lies not in proving whether particular cases of discrimination did or did not occur, but simply allowing people who felt that they were discriminated against (but probably can't prove anything) to express themselves publicly and feel like they are being heard.

I suspect many people don't fully appreciate what went on during the days of segregation (I don't think I do). Just listening to the accounts might prove an education for those who weren't there (black and white).

It wouldn't matter if the issues were relatively trivial (compared to those heard in South Africa, for example). Allowing people to feel heard, I think that's the key.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 23.09.05 at 22:56]

Heah Phil wake up....Listen into the talk shows people are being heard every day.I think you have basically put forward a stupid idea thats totally out of context with Bermuda.

[Ethiops on 24.09.05 at 01:13]

I can't speak for all but, i'm pretty sure no one is looking for handouts. The truth is for many and a few life on the rock sucks goats balls with the pent up laws and what not's. Reconciliation would be proper if it was aimed at changing laws to make life easier on the many or few that feel unheard.

Why does government feel it needs to act as a critical parent? My guess is that they learned it from those in power before them, isn't that how sick relationships work? That being why isn't government in therapy? I challange PLP to abolish something every month for at least 6 months and create at least six new laws as well. Come on boys if you're reading this site you have both feet in the water no time to pussy foot around. If Bermuda as a whole ain't your concern you would want to get the hell out of politics. The balls in your court DO SOMETHING. You can only sing the UBP ran the island in the rocks for so long eventhough it's true. Like many i'm sick of waiting.

[Onion on 24.09.05 at 01:52]

Limey, I really like the idea in principle. But let's be honest. How many whites would show up? Why would they show up? What would be their incentive? Ok, you might get the artsy fartsy liberals who hang out at rock garden, or some who go to those weekly poetry readings. But what about the average white Joe? If you want this thing to be effective and genuine then you are going to have some people getting some real stuff off their chest. But who will be doing most of that? I suspect it will be blacks, as they not whites were the ones subject to slavery and racial discrimination. Emotions may run high. Many whites will get defensive. How many white people would want to show up to listen to these gripes? If whites are to speak at these meetings what would be their gripe? Would this not then turn into a mudslinging fest? Look what even happens on this blog more often than not. Jake, Guilden and myself are very reserved in our opinions in comparison to some others out there. Many of you on this site are very reserved in comparison to members of Bdafreespeech.com.

I hate to be pessimistic about the idea but I am not sure how it would work. But the idea is worth discussing further.

[Phil on 24.09.05 at 10:27]

Onion

I don't think whites would actually have to turn up, as long as the hearings were fully reported in the media. I would expect the RG to have at least a synopsis of each day's proceedings, a local radio station to cover them live, and full transcripts to be available online. Participants would address the committee and perhaps be arranged in advance. No debate would be allowed, to avoid the mudslinging fest you talk of, and because that's not what the process is about. If no whites got up to speak or apologise, I don't think it would matter. The emphasis would just be on listening.

Perhaps this wouldn't work. Perhaps most Bermudians wouldn't want a TRC. Perhaps as Graeme suggests the idea is totally out of context with Bermuda (although this is an idea that was mooted by Bermudians, not me). But I think it's worth exploring.