The human rights abuses, and the social and economic injustices suffered by the people are not merely the product of colonial injustices, but also the product of misgovernance, massive corruption, and asset stripping by state officials, persons within the private business sector, and others. Accountability The delegates noted that, during the pre- and post-independence periods, there have been successive amnesties and Presidential pardons for many of the persons who committed gross human rights violations. The failure to punish these violators, and to hold them accountable, created a culture of impunity and the potential for the reemergence of violence and abuse of human rights. The culture of impunity can only be ended if perpetrators of human rights abuses are held accountable for their abuses. The participants noted and acknowledged that, under international law and international humanitarian law, gross human rights violations should never be ignored or be the subject of an amnesty. Mechanisms for addressing the needs of victims Victims of all past human rights abuses have the right to redress and to be consulted about the nature of the mechanisms that will be established to address their reeds. The mechanisms that are established must be victim-centred, and must be capable of addressing the reeds of victims in a meaningful way. Prior to the establishment of these mechanisms, there must be an extensive process of consultation with the victims and the broader ix