Reconciliation is generally understood to be the reestablishment of friendly relations, though it assumes different forms and roles in different contexts. In the case of armed conflicts, reconciliation incorporates the search for truth, justice, forgiveness and accommodation between conflicting groups or people. It is therefore widely seen as very closely related to peace building, though whereas some suggest it is the ultimate goal of peace building, others argue it is better seen as a process. It is unsurprising that there is some confusion over the definition of reconciliation in peace building, since it can apply to very different levels and activities, ranging from individuals trying to re-establish trust, to dialogue between small groups, to larger social or political processes such as truth and reconciliation commissions. Some writers therefore recommend making a distinction between inter-personal understandings of reconciliation and ‘political reconciliation’ at a national level.