Based on this local conception of justice and the community-level consultation , John Caulker launched the transitional justice initiative Fambul Tok in spring 2008 to encourage communities to talk with each other about what happened during the war . A Sierra Leonean cultural tradition known as “ Fambul Tok ” (“ Family Talk ” in the Krio language ) existed before the war , whereby people / families solved problems through talking around a bonfire . As such , Caulker ’ s community-level transitional justice program includes three main stages : community preparation , a reconciliation ceremony around a bonfire , and follow-up activities .
With the funding partnership of international organization Catalyst for Peace , local staff for the Fambul Tok program are hired in communities in each district . To prepare communities , these staff travel to local villages , many of which are only accessible by foot , to consult about the possibility of conducting a reconciliation program . Once these communities agree , Fambul Tok establishes a Reconciliation Committee and an Outreach Committee in each village . These committees include religious leaders , women leaders , and youth . These leaders are trained on trauma and mediation , and for the next 3-4 months , the Outreach Committee sensitizes the communities about the process . Villagers must be involved and contribute something to the program ( such as food for a community feast or a cultural song or dance ) to increase their sense of ownership . During this preparation process , community members identify a good location for the main Fambul Tok reconciliation ceremony .
After the community preparation , Fambul Tok staff and the Reconciliation Committee facilitate the process for a reconciliation ceremony at a nighttime bonfire at the chosen location . The main components of the bonfire ceremony are honest acknowledgement of crimes , apology , and forgiveness . Victims of the war share what happened to them , whether they were raped , had family members killed , or their house was destroyed . If the perpetrators of those crimes are present among the villagers gathered at the bonfire , the victims identify the perpetrators . Then , the perpetrators come to the middle of the circle and acknowledge what they did . The perpetrators may also explain if their actions were due to coercion or threats from the rebels . After an honest acknowledgement of crimes , the perpetrators apologize , the victims forgive , and they shake hands in front of the community to commit to a long journey towards reconciliation . No one knows in advance which victims and perpetrators will share their stories at the bonfire . The presence of the community gives people the strength to come forward . The day after the bonfire , most communities hold a cleansing ceremony , another Sierra Leonean cultural tradition not employed since before the war .
Some of the stories recounted during the bonfires are quite disturbing . One such story involved two young men , Sahr and Nyumah , who had been best friends before the war . When the rebels invaded , Sahr and his father were captured , and the rebels commanded Sahr to kill his father . When Sahr refused , the rebels handed a knife to his friend Nyumah , threatening to shoot him if he did not kill Sahr ’ s father . So , Nyumah killed Sahr ’ s father and beat Sahr . Years later , at the Fambul Tok bonfire in their village , Sahr recounted these events and identified Nyumah among the villagers present . Nyumah acknowledged what he had done , apologized , and Sahr forgave him . Before the bonfire , they had no peace with each other . Afterwards , they became friends again . Nyumah built a house with a tin roof for Sahr as symbolic reparation , and he helps Sahr to farm since Sahr ’ s injuries prevent him from doing so . Now , these friends speak to other people in their country to show that reconciliation is possible .
The bonfire and cleansing ceremony is only the beginning of the reconciliation process . The community continues to watch how perpetrators behave – to see if they make symbolic gestures and reparations or participate in follow-up activities . In the months that follow , Fambul Tok hosts a number of follow-up activities in the communities to bridge the gaps between perpetrators and victims . One such popular follow-up activity is Soccer for Reconciliation , followed by a disco . These shared positive experiences minimize tensions between victims and perpetrators .
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