Interventions by the Civil Society The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) has compiled dossiers from the victims of the shooting and their families. A video report has since been published. Several cases have since been filed with the High Court seeking compensation for the pain and suffering experienced because of the actions of the police. The National Symposium on Transitional Justice Policy in Zimbabwe From 21 to 23 November 2018, over 118 NTJWG stakeholders, delegates from the NPRC, churches, NTJWG partners and government officials converged in Bulawayo for the 2018 Transitional Justice Policy Symposium which was jointly convened by the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR). The theme of the symposium was, ‘Never Again: Setting the Transitional Justice Agenda for Zimbabwe.’ The symposium was designed to allow Zimbabweans to reflect on the most urgent transitional justice needs of the country and contribute to the development of a proposal for a transitional justice policy for Zimbabwe. A transitional justice policy for Zimbabwe allows the country to join the continent in putting in place measures to ensure that past atrocities are dealt with, victims find redress and closure. It further provides that mechanisms are put in place to spur and drive national commitment to say ‘Never Again’ to violence. The Symposium put on the table a cocktail of measures including security sector reform, approaches to truth recovery that focuses on documentation, archival and preservation; gender justice and approaches to knowledge management that ensures that the legacy of the organisations working with victims is accurately captured and preserved. Across the different thematic policy reflections, the symposium emphasised the critical role of independent commissions in ensuring the success of the transitional justice policy for ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Zimbabwe. The conference tasked the NTJWG with decoding the rich content generated in the three days to develop a policy document that would help make a reality the vision painted by the delegates. In closing the symposium, NTJWG Chairperson Mr Alec Muchadehama said that the goal of a transitional justice policy for Zimbabwe is to build a national architecture for compassion. “A transitional justice policy means we want a value system that says ‘the wounded must be healed’ to be Government’s way of doing business.” At the end of the symposium, stakeholders had agreed to a national transitional justice policy that will be shared with the NPRC, government and other non-governmental players in transitional justice. Government interference in the activities of the NPRC In 2018, the NTJWG advocated for the respect of the independence of the NPRC. This was done through the NPRC and Executive Briefings that were presented to the NPRC and Vice President’s Office. They can be accessed here. The NPRC Act has several provisions that weaken the independence of the NPRC and facilitate for the politicization of its work. Several rules go against the grain of Zimbabwe’s constitution. For instance, Section 14 of the NPRC Act requires the establishment of the Secretariat “in consultation” with the Minister responsible for Finance. This conflicts with Section 234 of the Constitution, which gives the NPRC power to recruit and regulate its own staff. The same provision is also in conflict with section 23 of the Constitution, which upholds the independence of all Chapter 12 Commissions. Other regulations such as the Minister’s power to issue “certificates” prohibiting the release of information are undemocratic and unlawful. All these matters will be challenged if need be. 19