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Accepted Paper:
Paper short abstract:
Calls for reparations after severe crimes are louder than ever, yet their consequences remain underexplored. We analyse the ICC’s first reparations programme for victims of the 2003 Bogoro massacre, examining how reparations shape grief, justice, resilience, and socio-political inequalities.
Paper long abstract:
Calls for reparations in the aftermath of severe crimes—genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity—are louder than ever, with courts increasingly ordering reparation programmes for victims. However, research on the effects of such schemes is limited, raising the question: how much do reparations repair? This paper examines the socio-political dynamics of reparations, focusing on measures ordered by the International Criminal Court for victims of the 2003 Bogoro massacre in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The massacre, perpetrated by Germain Katanga and the Forces de Résistance Patriotique d’Ituri, left survivors and communities scarred by excessive violence, displacement, and socio-economic disruption. The ICC’s first reparations programme offers a lens to explore the consequences of reparations and the im/possibility of redress after severe crimes.
Drawing on qualitative interviews and quantitative data from the ICC-commissioned evaluation, the paper explores the interplay between grief, justice, and resilience. It discusses conflicting rationales shaping the reparation order and shows how the reparations process itself became a contested political space, reflecting broader inequities and the fragility of reparations in a conflict context.
While reparations provided symbolic recognition and material assistance, they proved limited in addressing entrenched trauma and inequality. Beneficiaries often viewed reparations as incomplete, given ongoing insecurity, systemic poverty, and lack of trust in institutions. This paper highlights how survivors negotiated these gaps, finding solace in community, faith, and symbolic acknowledgement of their suffering. It interrogates how reparative mechanisms can empower survivors while perpetuating socio-political hierarchies, offering critical insights into justice and resilience.
Navigating difficult deaths and their aftermath during conflict and crisis
Session 2 Friday 27 June, 2025, -