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transform conflicts into positive energy to drive socio-economic development in
Zimbabwe.
There is need to continue to utilise Government Ministries, Traditional Leadership, civil
society organisations, faith based organisations inclusive of the Church, among others, as
“Entry Points” in the implementation of peace building programmes and projects.
There is an inescapable reality that national healing, reconciliation and integration
processes are long term and should be all-inclusive.
The cyclical nature of violent conflicts in different epochs of the history of Zimbabwe shows
that peace building and conflict resolution measures cannot be linear in approach.
Retribution or revenge, though advocated by some, is not perceived as key to national
healing and reconciliation but acknowledging the past wrongs, seeking redress and
finding a mutually agreed way forward. The quest is for truth telling, justice, people
apologising to each other accompanied by forgiveness. This will help build
relationships.
People expect the leadership to assist in consolidating the Zimbabwean lived reality, real
identity and restoring ubuntu bethu / hunhu hwedu and not exposing ourselves as a
disintegrated nation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has to be stressed that peace and reconciliation are evolving processes whose
responsibility belongs to all Zimbabweans based on our lived reality and premised on the values
of ubuntu bethu / hunhu hwedu.
The infrastructure or architecture for peace as provided through the Zimbabwe National Policy
Framework for Peace and Reconciliation bestows a legacy of solving disputes through dialogue
rather than violent conflict to succeeding generations, enabling a break away from the culture of
cyclical violence inherited from the past epochs of history.
Issues that pertain to reparation, restitution, compensation, among other perceived
entitlements, arising from violent historical epochs of our country will fall under the purview of
the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission as an institution, once legally established, to
deal with the past and future occurrences of violence.
Truth Commissions: the Best Practices
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