The Iconic Image of Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission

This study tells the story of Edmundo Camana, a Peruvian peasant, whose image was used by Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2003 to visually represent the political violence that occurred between 1980 and 2000. It explores the role of iconic images in the transition to a democratic regime, particularly in the context of a national truth commission. This example illustrates the issues that can arise when individual accounts are chosen to represent a collective experience. It looks at the telling of victims' stories through photography, what happens when the subjects of those photographs speak for themselves, and the consequences this may have on the reconciliation process. Contentious arguments about the meaning and ethics of Camana's image could be interpreted as exacerbating conflict; however, this article argues that such public debates actually serve to strengthen the very foundations of democracy by creating a space for opposing voices to be heard.