undertaken besides monetary payments. The
group also agreed that the War Victims
Compensation Fund is an example of a
reparations policy framework. In addition,
there is need to consider what justice means to
victims to be accurate on the kind of reparations
expected by the victims in different contexts.
The group advocated for communal reparations
in certain instances. It was also agreed that
Zimbabwe should maximise on promoting the
right to reparations by using available
documented evidence.
Critical Reflections on the Hard Choices
for Zimbabwe
By Otto Saki
Reflections by Otto Saki detailed various issues
that should be taken into consideration when
developing a TJ policy for Zimbabwe. The
details centred on what should be included in
the intended TJ Framework. Some of the
reflections critical to the policy were that;
Ÿ Remedies are affected by different time and
horizons. Therefore, remedies suggested or
prescribed must be sensitive to time and
spaces. What are the parameters of the
policy on TJ?
Ÿ Funding questions must address whether it
will be coming from domestic or
international sources. In case of international
sources, the discussion could be a foreign
policy discourse drawing from the colonial
violations
Ÿ There must be a careful sequencing of events
and remedies (what comes first and
following)?
Ÿ Selective actions or remedies depending on
contexts in cases of prosecutions should be
considered. For example, prosecutions may
not be strategic when the perpetrators are
still in power.
Ÿ There is need for perpetrators versions of the
truth –that information must be curated and
put in place.
16
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Institutional synergies and their roles in TJ
must be clearly spelt out in the policy.
Amnesties should be debated whether they
should be conditional or blanket. For
instance, should amnestied be based on
truth telling or they can be blanket).
People must interrogate whether there is an
appetite to have TJ at government level or it
is only about having the NPRC.
People should also ask whether there is need
for a Peace and Reconciliation Policy and a
TJ policy (or we need both). The discourse
must focus on policies beyond the TJ also.
Healing cannot be confined to the lifespan of
the NPRC because some people may be
ready to talk after the NPRC is gone.
Therefore, there must be space for them to
talk in the future.
The level of disclosure and willingness to
participate will be determined by the success
or failure of the NPRC (confidence and trust
deficit), hence the need to ensure that the
PRC processes succeed.
There is need to consider how TJ issues will
go beyond the State level processes into
including non-state actors to participate in TJ
processes with ease (e.g. church, CSOs etc.).
Religion and African traditional justice
mechanisms are fundamental in TJ e.g. the
church leaders and Traditional leaders have
also been affected by the same violence and
they bore the same brunt of violence.
Therefore, the assumption that the leaders
are strong enough to address the problems
should be reviewed.
2018 TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE POLICY SYMPOSIUM REPORT
Select target paragraph3
Add to table of contents