12th Annual Human Rights Film Series Resource Page
Liberia is Africa's oldest republic. The Republic of Liberia was declared in 1847 by freed American slaves who
settled land on the west coast of Africa inhabited by indigenous tribes. For more than a century, the country was
relatively stable under the single-party rule of the settler elites, but in 1980 the government was overthrown by a
violent military coup led by indigenous noncommissioned officers. In 1989, the country descended into a brutal
civil war which briefly abated from 1996-1999, but not before claiming the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians
and displacing millions of others into refugee camps in neighboring countries. Fighting resumed in 1999 until a
comprehensive peace agreement was reached in 2003, which led to the exile of then President Charles Taylor and
established a transitional government charged with laying the groundwork for elections in 2005. In October 2005,
Liberia elected Africa's first female Head of State, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Nearly six years later, Liberia continues to search for healing and justice as it grapples with how to deal with the
aftermath of war and the complexities of post-genocide reconciliation. Transitional justice—a range of processes
and mechanisms for achieving justice in times of transition from conflict—aims to recognize the rights of victims,
promote civic trust and strengthen the rule of law by trying to achieve accountability and redressing victims. At
its core, transitional justice requires us to face difficult questions: How should a society face the legacy of crimes
against humanity? Should it punish perpetrators? Or should it forget atrocities in favor of reconciliation?
One approach for achieving transitional justice is retributive justice, which is based on the principle that people
who have committed human rights violations, or ordered others to do so, should be punished in courts of law.
Another approach is restorative justice, which refers to an alternative model for facing crime which is based on
the social importance of reconciliation between victim and perpetrator. It is a systematic means of addressing
wrongdoings that emphasizes the healing of wounds and rebuilding of relationships. Unlike retributive justice,
restorative justice does not focus on punishment for crimes but, rather, on repairing the damage done and
offering restitution through truth-telling and the meeting of victims and perpetrators.
The Redemption of General Butt Naked contemplates these approaches and asks us to consider whether a
person can actually redeem himself after committing horrific acts, as it follows Joshua Milton Blayhi as he
attempts to make amends for the atrocities he committed during Liberia’s civil war.
Additional Resources:
Film Website - http://www.generalbuttnakedmovie.com/index.htm
International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) Website - http://ictj.org/
PFI Center for Justice and Reconciliation Website - http://www.restorativejustice.org/
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia Website - http://trcofliberia.org/