Victim Healing and Truth Commissions: Transforming Pain Through Voice in Solomon Islands and Timor-L

1 Introduction. 1.1 Mass Violence and Victim Needs during Transitions toward Sustainable Peace. 1.2 Outline of Findings. 2 Healing and Truth Commissions: Competition or Complement?. 2.1 Why Focus on Healing. 2.2 Healing: A Complex Goal after Mass Violence. 2.3 Truth Commissions: A Restorative, Victim-Centred Response to Mass Violence. 3 Theories Explaining the Healing Potential of Public Truth-telling: Linking Voice, Truth Commissions, and Healing 3.1 Testimony Method and Healing. 3.2 Theories of Justice and the Role of Voice. 3.3 Giving Testimony in Truth Commissions: Possibilities for Voice and Healing. 4 Research Design and Methods. 4.1 Choosing the Investigation Method. 4.2 Operationalising Key Concepts. 4.3 Case Selection. 4.4 Developing the Research Instrument: Semi-Structured Interview Questionnaire. 4.5 Sampling Strategy. 4.6 Data Collection. 4.7 Ethical Issues. 4.8 Data Analysis and Presentation. 4.9 Limitations. 5 Timor-Leste: Case Study Analysis. 5.1 Case Background: Timor-Leste. 5.2 Post-conflict Justice Efforts. 5.3 Field Research Findings and Analysis: Giving Testimony to the CAVR-Opportunities for Healing through Voice 5.4 Other Findings.6 Solomon Islands: Case Study Analysis. 6.1 Case Background: Solomon Islands. 6.2 Post-Conflict Justice Efforts. 6.3 Field Research Findings and Analysis: Giving Testimony to the TRC-Opportunities for Healing through Voice 6.4 Other findings.7 Making Sense of the Findings from Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands. 7.1 Similarities between Cases. 7.2 Differences between Cases.8 Conclusion.