Imperatives for a functional National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC)

Church and Civic Society Forum, a collaborative lobby and support group of the Church and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for the establishment and functioning of a national institutional, policy and legislative framework to address past injustices and human rights violations has conducted a nationwide consultations jointly with government from November 2009 – April 2010 on Non- State Actors minimum standards regarding the content, process and framework for national peace and reconciliation Zimbabwe.

CCSF urged the Government to mainstream into all its efforts to give effect to s252 of Constitution imperatives for a functional NPRC as were outlined by Church and CSO leaders during these consultative meetings.

"These are: The commission should operate independently Commissioners to the commission to be drawn from diverse societal groups such as the Church, Traditional leaders, Civil Society and Private sector, that the process of peace and reconciliation take a sequential route, where institutional reforms (judiciary, security sector) must be undertaken as a first step, rebuilds trust, strengthens relationships and enhances equity and social cohesion so as to ensure a healthy and prosperous nation, truth telling is a prerequisite for healing and reconciliation as it facilitates closure and helps in creating an accurate historical record for society and posterity," said the organisation.

"No blanket amnesty for crimes against humanity, torture, rape and related sexual crimes, corruption and crimes of greed, Strengthen local justice mechanisms,the commission embarks on restoration of citizen security through rebuilding confidence in state security institutions and processes and traditional leadership structures,reparations to compensate for loss of life, limb and property taking into consideration the differential effects of conflict and violence on men and women, and reintegration of both victims and perpetrators through frameworks for psychosocial support."

The organisation said this is an enhancement of the education criteria to ensure that there is room for raising awareness on the costs of violent conflict and inculcate a culture of peace at an early age, sustained dialogue to be integrated in the national peace and reconciliation process as it provides for continuous engagement within a community Upholds truth and justice to deal with past injustices and guard against impunity, respects and upholds the life, dignity and human rights of all citizens, Integrates peace building education into the national healing and reconciliation programmes and processes and facilitates holistic healing by providing psycho-social support, trauma healing, and spiritual restoration to both victims and perpetrators.

"This provides security to both victims and perpetrators so that they can open up without fear of victimization, guarantees the involvement of communities as equal partners through a grass roots oriented approach that considers community peculiarities," said the organisation. "Is relevant to the prevailing political, social and economic context of Zimbabwe, that the Commission, in developing procedures and institutions to facilitate conflict dialogue should acknowledge the moral and religious mandate of the church in issues of peace, reconciliation and social justice, that the Commission in developing procedures and institutions to facilitate conflict dialogue should acknowledge the centrality of civil society organizations in championing the rights of citizens."

The organisation said that is set for independent commission to thereafter look into the processes of national institutional reforms as pre-requisites to national healing and reconciliation, that the set independent commission must also undertake to establish the truth regarding all the conflicts that have been identified since 1980, that the set independent commission may make representations directly to Parliament, that there be room and space created to also heal perpetrators though the general framework should victim-centered and that the Commission establishes a broad based Conflict Early Warning and Early Response mechanism to enable early detection and possible prevention of potential conflicts.

"That is for the preservation of sustainable peace in Zimbabwe be enshrined in a national values framework that must be developed communicated and preserved," said the organisation.

"The peace-building and mediation training be undertaken for the police, the army, parliamentarians, ministers, local government officials, chiefs, teachers, civil servants etc."