Catholicism and the struggle for memory: Reflections on Peru

In 2001, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in Peru by the transitional government of Valentin Paniagua to examine atrocities committed during the 1980s and 1990s when the country was plagued by the worst violence in its modern history, violence perpetrated by the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), Tupac Amaru, and government forces. Gamio explores the varied reception of this document in Peru, from its acceptance (e.g., Gustavo Gutiérrez, Carlos Flores Lizana) to its rejection by those who preferred a ‘policy of silence’ (e.g., Fernán Altuve-Febres, Federico Prieto Celi). This allows Gamio to discuss the meaning and ethics of memory, the struggle over memory between victims and perpetrators of violence, and the importance of truth telling for ‘transitional justice’ in regimes like Peru that are moving from periods of political oppression to democracy.