Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe history needs truth, justice and reconciliation
12 Jun 2023 at 01:37hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE'S history is replete with human rights violations dating as far back as the colonial period. Sadly, such violations have continued even after the country gained independence in 1980. It is, therefore, impossible to speak about the history of our country and not mention episodes of violence such as Gukurahundi, Operation Murambatsvina, 2008 election violence, the 2018 post-election shootings and the January 2019 fuel protests, among others.
However, despite this sad past, we also have much to appreciate regarding our human rights journey as a country. This includes the inclusion of a progressive Bill of Rights in the Constitution and the operationalisation of Chapter 12 Commissions with a mandate to ensure human rights protection in the country.
Given the background of human rights abuses, it is no surprise that there has been an unceasing disruption of Zimbabwe's historical narrative to cover up for citizens' deaths and life-changing injuries. In practice, the right to truth in Zimbabwe has continuously been weaponised to sow divisions within societies and promote intolerance.
This has been achieved through peddling false historical narratives and censoring printed and digital literature.
Given the importance of truth-telling and truth-seeking initiatives to the success of Zimbabwe's peace and reconciliation efforts, there is a need for an important conversation on citizens playing a more active role in filling this vacant space. Such an approach will ensure that citizens continue to shape the proper historical narrative while bringing a semblance of closure for victims by answering critical questions related to episodes of mass human rights violations.
Given the vast amount of fragmented information that have been produced around human rights in Zimbabwe the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) was tasked with designing an archive to bring Zimbabwe's human rights story to one central place, one step at a time.
In March 2023, the NTJWG fulfilled the task bestowed on it as far back as October 2012, when stakeholders at the 2012 International Transitional Justice Conference on Zimbabwe resolved that Zimbabwe's history, truth, justice, and reconciliation process required a co-ordinated, collaborative archival process.
However, despite this sad past, we also have much to appreciate regarding our human rights journey as a country. This includes the inclusion of a progressive Bill of Rights in the Constitution and the operationalisation of Chapter 12 Commissions with a mandate to ensure human rights protection in the country.
Given the background of human rights abuses, it is no surprise that there has been an unceasing disruption of Zimbabwe's historical narrative to cover up for citizens' deaths and life-changing injuries. In practice, the right to truth in Zimbabwe has continuously been weaponised to sow divisions within societies and promote intolerance.
This has been achieved through peddling false historical narratives and censoring printed and digital literature.
Given the importance of truth-telling and truth-seeking initiatives to the success of Zimbabwe's peace and reconciliation efforts, there is a need for an important conversation on citizens playing a more active role in filling this vacant space. Such an approach will ensure that citizens continue to shape the proper historical narrative while bringing a semblance of closure for victims by answering critical questions related to episodes of mass human rights violations.
Given the vast amount of fragmented information that have been produced around human rights in Zimbabwe the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) was tasked with designing an archive to bring Zimbabwe's human rights story to one central place, one step at a time.
In March 2023, the NTJWG fulfilled the task bestowed on it as far back as October 2012, when stakeholders at the 2012 International Transitional Justice Conference on Zimbabwe resolved that Zimbabwe's history, truth, justice, and reconciliation process required a co-ordinated, collaborative archival process.
Source - newsday
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