ABSTRACT
The relationship between war and other violent conflict is complex and dynamic. As discussed later, violations of human rights can be both causes and consequences of violent conflict. Further, gross violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law can alter the course of conflicts, adding grievances and changing the interests of various actors, in turn making conflicts more intractable. Where this is the case, conflict resolution can become much more difficult, not least because many issues beyond the original “root causes” of conflict will be at stake, and because trust between the warring parties will be extremely low. Finally, demands for accountability will be made, whether by victims and relatives of victims, by local and international nongovernmental organizations, or by various international actors such as donor countries. The pursuit of legal accountability is often controversial, and is often resisted by one or more of the fighting parties; insisting upon legal accountability may impede negotiations or peace implementation. Nonetheless, there have been many attempts to pursue legal accountability while also making peace, and this book will examine many such cases.
