The Generational Curse of Colonial Trauma: Seeking Justice for Indigenous Peoples and the Decolonisation of Human Rights

Noluthando Ncame

doi:10.25159/2521-2583/15576

Authors

Noluthando Ncame University of Pretoria https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6664-3329

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2521-2583/15576

Keywords:

colonisation, indigenous peoples, justice, decolonisation, human rights

Abstract

There has always been a conflict between the application of the law and the pursuit of justice. This conflict goes beyond doctrinal concerns to philosophical, jurisprudential and ethical realms. The concept of justice as we know it today has been shaped by philosophies and symbols from different cultures and religions. Justice is a highly ethical, moral, social and political concept. It is a concept that we often use in our everyday life alongside the concept of human rights. This article explores the meaning of justice for indigenous peoples in the human rights era and the impact that decolonising human rights could have on it. The discussion will be expanded by reviewing certain aspects of justice, including the symbol of Lady Justice, the philosophy on which it is founded, decolonisation, human rights, natural law and the role of the courts. The works of some of the philosophers who have written about the concept of justice will be set out. The law and the administration of justice are often regarded as the ultimate expression of justice in society. But justice extends far beyond the confines of legal rules and institutions. The exclusion of other dimensions of justice from legal consideration risks rendering the law incapable of providing effective solutions to the complex and evolving challenges of a dynamic society.

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