Truth and Reconciliation

Liberia has followed the steps of South Africa, they also have a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) With the TRC, all you have to do is admit your crimes or activities, and express remorse and ask for forgiveness, after the perpetrtor has recanted his activities and previous ideals, he/she is forgiven by the committee (who speak on behalf of the country) TRC is often used in situations where using the usual judicial channels will be to taxing on resources and will only alleviate tensions rather than abate them. So instead of having prolonged murder/genocide/arson/vandalism/aggravated battery trials, the victims and victimizers are brought together in hope that they will reconcile for the betterment of the nation at large. My problem with TRCs is that it is during turbulent times that people commit the worst atrocities, and it is unfortunate that these people get to go 'Scot-free' after delibrately committing henious crimes, albeit in the heat of battle. Drug pushers get jailed for a long time, yet people who kill and rape women and children are let off. I am sure the drug pusher is just as remorseful for his actions. Moreover most times, criminals are not sorry for their actions, they are only saddened that they were caught, or in the case of conflicts, they are sorry that the war was ended.
Take the case of Milton Blahyi, a former feared rebel commander in Liberia's brutal civil war, who has admitted to taking part in human sacrifices as part of traditional ceremonies intended to ensure victory in battle. He said the sacrifices "included the killing of an innocent child and plucking out the heart, which was divided into pieces for us to eat." Now as the father of a child who was diced up by cannibals, I will not be willing to sacrifice my emotions for the betterment of the 'nation' Individual responsibilty has been thrown to the dogs, everyone hides behind the curtain of 'it was a war, so I'm not responsible for my actions' And often, as in the case of Milton Blahyi, hide behind Jesus Christ, Milton is now an evangelical preacher, a former cannibal, who ate the hearts of innocent children is now an evangelical preacher. The question is now, how can we mete out harsh justice on such a man who has confessed his sins and is now a man of God.
Well, the Bible warns against judging, so I will not, but Jesus also told us to respect law, and in such cases I think the full measure of the law should be meted out to people like Milton Blahyi, he should be punished for murder and cannibalism. Justice should be a prerequisite for reconciliation rather than an alternative to it.
We will never know who was acting on orders, and who delibrately committed atrocities with the hope that records of their crimes will be lost within the volumes of killings during the time.
Africa has experienced and is currently experiencing so much pain, and letting savages like Milton Blahyi go away un-punished, further reduces the already low value of an African life.