Toward a Nation of Citizens

In 1980 Sendero Luminoso initiated a terrible spiral of violence in the country, bringing death, destruction and anxiety; the state responded with indiscriminate repression that produced multiple human rights violations, above all affecting the poorest population. Fear, distrust, pain and helplessness spread throughout our homeland. This is what we are talking about when we speak of reconciliation — creating the conditions so that a bloody conflict does not repeat itself in Peru. To achieve this we must build full citizenship for all Peruvians, that is, ensure that everyone enjoys the same rights and opportunities, not only on paper but in reality. The task of reconciliation, however, is not at all easy; it is riddled with obstacles. We are in a post-conflict society. The wounds remain open and lead many to not yet want to speak of reconciliation; before doing so they rightly need to know the truth about their disappeared relatives or to find justice for the victims of crimes and human rights violations. Moreover, reconciliation cannot be achieved overnight — it will take time, because it demands acknowledging what happened during this internal war. (Excerpt from the preface).