From ROHR Zimbabwe Information Department

Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR) and Victims Action Committee (VAC), noting the prevailing perpetual upheaval poised at derailing not only the democratic transition, but also the existence of stability in the country, shall be unpacking a series of peace building initiatives at grassroots level with the chief aim of promoting tolerance and core existence among polarized communities.

Being aware of the likelihood of the country holding elections in the near future, it is concerning to note that the environment is still lacking on democratic pre- conditions that can guarantee a free and fair election in which people can freely express themselves without fear of persecution.

Through undertaking peace building initiatives, we therefore pledge to work towards transforming the behavior, attitude and mindset of the traumatized electorate from the negative perception that elections are associated with anarchy, violence, torture, loss of property, murder, harassment, intimidation, pillage and above all rule of man.

The coalition government has an uphill task in pushing the drivers of democracy to win public confidence in contrast to the existing perennial media battles characterized by hate speech, manipulation and self serving propaganda.

It is regrettable that a year after the formation of the coalition government which broke the gridlock between the warring political parties and stirred hope of a better future among Zimbabweans, the status quo is now degenerating into a widening rift of political mistrust propelled by narrow misleading political elite ideologies that are cascading down to people on the ground causing panic, fear and unrest.

We note with concern the sprouting divisions splitting the coalition government, the intransigent forces that hover over the nation casting a dark shadow ahead of the envisaged historic constitutional making and the national healing process. We further note that the deadlock between the negotiators of the Global Political Agreement is a further cause of concern threatening the spirit of unity that is pertinent to driving the country forward.

It has come to our attention, that the intractable behavior of the security forces, particularly the police, is an act of sabotage that snuffs out all the efforts of achieving a just, rational, discriminatory free society that respects the rule of law, embraces a culture of human rights and  diversity and guarantees equality before the law.

We strongly condemn the recent victimization of the labor union workers from GAPWUZ who have been forced to forsake their duties fleeing threats by the police; the outbreak of political violence in Epworth; the allegations of illicit deals and corruption surrounding the mining of diamonds in Chiadzwa.

As organizations indebted to a wide constituency of victims who bore the brunt of political violence across the country, we believe that the government, through its arm, the organ on National Healing, is dragging its feet in timely responding to the various needs of the voiceless victims of political violence who are still smarting from the scourge of immense suffering.

Understanding the untold suffering that the majority of Zimbabweans endured during the unprecedented level of organized political violence which engulfed the nation during the March-June elections of 2008, leaving a multitude of victims, we hold that such a sad chapter of our history should never be allowed to take place again. We strongly condemn any political activities that are bent on dividing the nation and opening the gates of turmoil.

Appreciating the ultimate goal of National Healing, we challenge the government to scale up efforts in implementing short term interventions which target the immediate redress of the plight of the worst affected victims on issues to do with livelihoods capacity building, psycho-social support, medical assistance, economic empowerment and bolstering security and protection from the state.

From the mandate bestowed upon us by our members, as a matter of principle we advocate for a National Healing process that is victim centered, community based and gender sensitive built on values of national truth telling, transitional justice, transparency, free society, respect for equality, freedom of expression and exclusivity. Provision of restorative and retributive justice is an integral part of a credible, fair and responsive National Healing Process.

Perpetrators who ordered gross crimes against humanity like sponsored murder, torture and rape should not only be disallowed to lead the process, but should be prosecuted as a demonstration of seriousness on the part of the government’s non tolerance of violence and impunity. However, for the healing process to be holistic it needs the full active participation of both victims and perpetrators. National mechanisms should be put in place for perpetrators to voluntarily come forward and confess their partaking and acknowledgment of wrong doing.

ROHR Zimbabwe and VAC are grassroots based victim oriented organizations working towards the empowerment and improvement of standards of living among victims of political violence through community mobilization, capacity building and active responses to human rights challenges.

Jointly the two organizations have a database of more than 50 000 victims of political violence dating back to the post independence era.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

After spending a month incarcerated at Masvingo remand prison on alleged charges of immigration transgression, Gahaodus will finally get a feel of freedom after a rescue intervention by the South African Embassy in Harare.

ROHR Zimbabwe can reliably confirm that the South African High Commissioner in Zimbabwe has today confirmed that one of the two detainees held at Masvingo remand prison is indeed a South African citizen and the embassy will soon facilitate his eventual release to South Africa after the finalization of handover papers. The plight of the two detainees was unearthed by ROHR Zimbabwe following a tip off which led to agitating efforts for their release.

Despite the fact that the Zimbabwean constitution states that a person is supposed to be presented before a judge within reasonable time of not more than 48 hours after arrest, the future remains gloomy for Marco Paulo Santos Oliveira (18) who was arrested together with Gahaodus. His hopes of ending the horrific incarceration have hit a stumbling block as South African officials could not identify him as a citizen of South Africa in order for him to qualify for assistance from the Embassy. He is now confronted by a solitary stay in a foreign prison without the slightest hope of when the light of freedom will shine upon him.

Marcos only available option is to pay US $1000 to the Zimbabwe immigration office or risk staying in prison at the mercy of the Zimbabwean government. Marco and Gahaodus were arrested on the 2^nd of February this year by Zimbabwean law enforcement officials for crossing over to Zimbabwe without legal travelling documents but the two deny any involvement in illegal activities.

ROHR Zimbabwe is appealing to the rest of the world for anyone on information which can be useful to identify Marco Paulo Santos's country of origin to contact ROHR Zimbabwe through email at rohrzimbabwe@gmail.com

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

The Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration in conjunction with NANGO yesterday convened a consultative meeting at the Harare International Conference Centre in a bid to capture the suggestions and inputs from the Harare metropolitan province towards the setting up of a mechanism to achieve National Healing, Cohesion and Unity. The meeting is the last of the rounds of provincial consultative meetings carried out by the organ.

Representing the organ was their chairman, Vice President J.L. Nkomo, Minister Sekai Holland and core Minister Gibson Sibanda. Submissions were heard from various thematic sectors which include the disabled, environmental, youths, women, children, humanitarian and churches.

Growing consensus emerged to the fact that the various sectors had reservations in a National Healing process led by politicians. Understanding the undeniable contribution that was made by politicians in promoting conflict and violence in the worst violence in the history of Zimbabwe, it was submitted that the National Healing process should be led by independent bodies not directly linked to the existing political parties.

The church and civil society articulated pre-requisite fundamental minimum guidelines to be followed for the National Healing process to be credible and authentic. Firstly they submitted that the process is not a standalone event, it needs to be complimented by media reforms, re-institutionalization of key state arms like the security forces and upholding of the rule of law; secondly it should be all inclusive, assume a bottom up approach, should be community based, decentralized and victim centered.

Thirdly, other basic standards include national truth telling programs by victims and perpetrators of political violence, prosecution of perpetrators of human rights crimes, no blanket amnesty for crimes against humanity, reform of educational curriculum to embrace peace building, and gender equity.

To make effective reddress of the plight of victims of political violence, it was submitted that there should be both restorative and retributive justice, national rehabilitation centers should be set up for psycho-social support and security of victims should be guaranteed in truth telling.

Concerns were raised over the fresh outbreaks of violence in Epworth and Buhera, the controversy surrounding the mining of diamonds in Chiadzwa, the continued fanning of hate speech by the national media particularly the Herald newspaper and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings.

In his key note, the Vice President dwelt much on the pre -independence conflicts which led to the liberation struggle and took a swipe at the post independence conflicts which brought about the coalition government and the prolonged negotiations between the three conflicting political parties. “During that time, there were a lot of questions without answers and people had to resort to violence to get their freedom. The system was very easy to lock people up to silence them “said Nkomo.

Minister Holland commended the civil society for the relentless work done in the past decades in agitating for democratization. She encouraged the civil society to remain focused during this time of transition until we get to the post conflict Zimbabwe.

ROHR Zimbabwe challenges the three principals to the GPA to walk the talk, publicly denounce violence, acknowledge past wrongs, and accept responsibility for their contribution to violence and crimes against humanity as a gesture of their serious commitment towards National Healing to guarantee public confidence that violence will never be an option to solving conflict.

For Peace, Justice and Freedom

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