Fambul Tok: Community Transitional Justice in Sierra Leone

Human Rights advocate and Founding Director of Fambul Tok International – Sierra Leone, John Caulker will present on the work of restoring justice in the wake of the brutal civil war that wracked his country for 12 years. Disillusioned by the failure of the Special Court and the Truth & Reconciliation Commission to deliver a lasting justice in his home country of Sierra Leone (West Africa), John turned to the revitalization of a customary practice called Fambul Tok (which is translated as “Family Talk”) in the Krio language. Launched in 2008, Fambul Tok provides an innovative example of a community-driven and owned transitional justice process that illustrates the spark of creative genius resulting from the partnership of civil society and local communities that are allowed to dream and act out a better justice for the future – a reconciliatory, healing justice that holds promise for generations to come.