It should be known that restorative justice lays more emphasis on the needs of victims and offenders. This is done at the expense of satisfying various legal principles that are supposed to be followed. As a matter of fact, it does not pay attention on punishing the offender (Sullivan and Tifft 4).
As far as restorative justice is concerned, victims are supposed to be actively involved in the process. On the other hand, offenders are also expected to be responsible for their individual actions. By taking responsibility, offenders will be repairing the harm that they have done.
Restorative justice should foster dialog between the victim and offender. This will in turn show the expected rate of offender accountability and victim satisfaction. In a broad perspective, restorative justice should be seen as a balance. For instance, it can be a balance to reduce different tensions (Sullivan and Tifft 5).
A balance for the needs of the victims and offenders rights can be reached through restorative justice. Wholesomely, there is a very big difference between traditional justice and restorative justice.
This is because traditional justice seeks to look at the laws that have been broken and who was responsible. Restorative justice on the other hand looks at those people who have been harmed. As a matter of fact, their needs are also looked at. Restorative justice is a process that needs to be well carried out for sustainability.
This is as far as coming up with a solution to the problem is concerned (Sullivan and Tifft 7). Everybody should be involved in the process to come up with a binding solution that will leave all stakeholders satisfied. This is as far as justice is concerned.
This paper will mainly focus on restorative justice in regards to the current Egyptian crisis. The current Egyptian conflict is a complex situation that needs to be critically evaluated for a long lasting solution. Currently, there are ongoing anti-government demonstrations around the country.
This is the biggest test ever to President Hosni Mubarak’s 30 years rule (Washington post 12). Violent demonstrations have been witnessed in various areas around the capital Cairo. It should be known that these demonstrations have disrupted transport between various centers and airports.
As a matter of fact, communication services have been disrupted by these demonstrations. To try and calm the situation, the Egyptian government has imposed a curfew throughout the country (Washington post 16). The current conflict is among various demonstrations that have been witnessed across the Arab world in recent weeks and months.
Demonstrators have been against the government and they have indicated that they will stop at nothing but to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak. In fact, they have indicated that they want him out soonest (The Telegraph 29).
There have been measures like the resignation of the ruling party officials but this has done nothing to stop the crisis. These demonstrations have shook the government and created the worst crisis ever. Soldiers have been arresting looters and this is a sign that the military is taking some security measures (Washington post 13).
Police have been accused of brutality but their disappearance from streets had led to a threat of widespread looting. This is set to be addressed by the military that has been brought in to calm the situation. The Egyptian state has been accused of caring for the few and ignoring the majority.
Power has been flowing from the gun in Egypt and this might be reason why demonstrators have increased their efforts. This means that good leaders who have authority are not supposed to shoot people (Basire 16).
In this case, the government (Mubarak’s) has shot various demonstrators in recent weeks and this is not good. The Egyptian conflict has various aspects to it because in the past days, there have been pro-government supporters who have also come out to support Mubarak.
These demonstrations have centered on lack of employment/jobs and poor lives. Although the president has come out to promise demonstrators more jobs and reforms, there are no clear sighs that he is willing to step down as expected (Washington post 21).
Protestors in Egypt have been inspired by the Tunisian crisis where their leader was forced out. Demonstrators are angry at widespread poverty and rising prices that have made life to be difficult for them (The Telegraph 26). Claims of corruption and torture have further complicated the situation.
This crisis therefore brings us to the question of whether insurgency can be restorative in any way. The current crisis in the Arab world in based on this fact and demonstrators believe that insurgency is the only way to resolve their problems.
Restorative justice is an insurgency in a broad way (Basire 32). In this case, restorative justice competes with social arrangements and the state. The pain and suffering of the Egyptian demonstrators should be resolved because they have indicated that they need some things sorted out in their society.
As much as this is the only way that their grievances could be addressed, restorative justice will expose the nature of power based orders (Rosenau 18). The Egyptian conflict can not be addressed by the society’s structures because this is a case where the whole society is mounting an insurgency to air out their grievances.
The society is supposed to value its institutions and respect them but this is not always the case. Normally, there are other avenues that can be used to address such problems but Egyptians believe that their problems can not be addressed by such institutions.
Egyptian demonstrations have been aimed at meeting the needs of the whole society. This insurgency therefore aims to restore their hope for good lives and jobs. As much as Egyptians understand the political aspects of restorative justice, they feel that they can only achieve their aspirations through insurgency.
It has been proven that a society can only mount an insurgency if it feels that there are various issues that are supposed to be solved (Basire 27). This therefore tries to explain the fact that people will chose this as an option if they have been pushed to the wall.
Insurgency can be restorative because there are various demands that we explain how a state or individual can deny responsibility for atrocities that have been committed (Sullivan and Tifft 17). Egyptians believe that they will be able to restore their society if Hosni Mubarak steps aside.
In this case, they are holding him responsible for all the problems that they are currently facing. This is solely based on the fact that he has been in power for 30 years and some of these demonstrators feel that he has not done enough.
The people of Egypt have their own cultural autonomy and as such should be listened to. This insurgency has therefore given them a good opportunity to air out their grievances. The people of Egypt have come up in large numbers to support this insurgency with a cause.
Therefore, this insurgency will be restorative in a broad way (Rosenau 26). As much as the people of Tunisia had their way, this is not a good trend that other countries and citizens are supposed to emulate and follow.
Leaders like Hosni Mubarak are supposed to be sensitive to people’s needs and correct problems before they become grave (Sullivan and Tifft 14). There is a tendency to ignore the wishes of the majority and this is not good at all as far as ethics of good leadership are concerned.
It is not understandable as per to why Mubarak could only promise reforms and jobs after seeing that demonstrators were indeed serious. The Egyptian conflict will unfold as restorative and healing depending on the final outcome. This is because Hosni Mubarak is not showing any sighs that he will step down anytime soon.
All in all, there is a good effort to ensure that burning issues are addressed. For instance, the newly appointed vice president is expected to spearhead negotiations that will go ion a big way to resolve the impasse (The Telegraph 19). This will restore public confidence in the government and give them a new sense of life.
All stakeholders are supposed to be consulted and involved in coming up with a long lasting solution to this problem (Basire 32). The Egyptian government can not go on with its normal operations as if everything is right but there should be efforts to resolve various outstanding issues.
This can explain why president Barrack Obama has called for a peaceful transition (Washington post 11). Other future insurgencies can be restorative and healing based on the approach that they will be given by the society at large and all stakeholders.
The Egyptian situation is fragile and it should be used to stabilize the country and restore order and confidence in governance (The Telegraph 21). This will only be achieved if people’s grievances are attended to immediately and urgently.
Works Cited
Basire, Katherine. Taking Restorative Justice Seriously. New York: Ballantine Books, 2004. Print.
Rosenau, William. Subversion and Insurgency. USA: RAND National Defense Research Institute, 2007. Print.
Sullivan, Dennis and Tifft Larry. The Handbook of Restorative Justice: A Global Perspective. New York: Routledge, 2008. Print.
The Telegraph. Egypt protests: Bloodshed on the streets as human price of Hosni Mubarak’s clampdown emerges, 2011. Web.
Washington post. Egypt protests show George W. Bush was right about freedom in the Arab world, 2011. Web.