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records will be crucial to both legal processes and the construction of an accurate history of the
past 4 years.
Secondly, we need to use the evidence to develop a clearer understanding of the levels of
responsibility for the violations. As I have indicated earlier, the data summarized shows a strong
association between leadership in ZanuPF - whether MP, party official, war veteran, policeman,
etc – and the perpetrators. This will probably require the setting up of a research department as
soon as possible. There is considerable expertise within the region that could be drawn upon
here.
Thirdly, we will need to consider very carefully as civic society the various options for pursuing
accountability. This will be a complex process, and we are fortunate to have this opportunity in
this conference to both consider the options and to have the insights from so many regional and
international colleagues to assist us in this process.
Finally, we have the opportunity to develop a collective civil society position for the future, and I
believe that this will be a critical development in both the immediate short-term as well as the
long-term for Zimbabwe. Civil society has been in the engine room of the drive for democracy in
the recent past, and it will undoubtedly be so in the future, but in no area will civil society’s
contribution be more important than in dealing with the problems of organized violence, torture,
and impunity.
This paper owes everything to the dedicated work of my
fellow human rights workers in Zimbabwe; to the heroic
adherence to the path of peace and democracy of all those
members of the MDC and civil society organizations who
became the victims as a consequence of their beliefs; and,
finally , to the support given to the cause of human rights by
a number of countries.
The Perpetrators of Gross Human Rights Violations in the current violence in Zimbabwe.
Select target paragraph3
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