A local peace advocacy group, Heal Zimbabwe Trust has applauded the government of Zimbabwe for signing into law the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Act on 5 January 2018 calling on the commission to carry out robust programs that seek to prevent conflicts while fostering peace in the country.
In a statement released today, Heal Zimbabwe urged NPRC to be people centred and work in consultation with all stakeholders.
“NPRC should ensure a people centered bottom up peace, truth, justice and reconciliation process brought through an all stakeholders consultation process,
“The NPRC must carry out robust programs that seek to prevent conflicts and to promote peace before, during and after the 2018 elections,
“They must also set up an early warning system in partnership with other key stakeholders such as civil society organizations and churches for early detection of areas of potential conflicts and disputes and to take appropriate preventive measures,” noted Heal Zimbabwe.
The peace advocacy group further called on NPRC to be transparent in its operations while facilitating psychological support to victims of violence.
“The commission must also facilitate community specific models for truth recovery and assure the security of witnesses during the public hearings,
“Craft, recommend, and implement policies and legislation which will facilitate institutional reform, restorative justice, truth recovery and truth telling and establishment of community and national memorials,
“Ensure and facilitate the documentation and sharing of multiple narratives of Zimbabwe’s history and facilitate psycho social support to victims of violence,” further noted Heal Zimbabwe.
In 2011 Heal Zimbabwe facilitated for survivors of political violence to petition the then Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI) to initiate an inclusive healing and reconciliation process.
NPRC was established to among other things promote national healing, unity and social cohesion, promote peaceful resolution of conflicts and provision of rehabilitative treatment and support of those affected by conflicts.
The NPRC Act was gazetted into law on the 5th of January 2018 following its assent by President Emmerson Mnangagwa setting in motion the operations of the peace and reconciliation commission that had been inactive since its appointment last year.
