• As a result of economic challenges, the civil service is surviving on donor funds. Some sectors were not “favourites” with the donors and this created a disparity in conditions within the service, which left some sectors, such as education, totally impoverished. Measures must be put in place to promote the welfare of all civil servants without discrimination [local medical professional speaking for the whole group of government employees]. v) Fundamental rights and freedoms • Women need legal reform and representation to ensure that there is balanced access to resources. Opportunities are closed to them because of traditional dominance by men [women’s group]. • Churches need freedom of association and their freedom of worship to be respected by the State. They prayed for legal reform to reign in the conduct of politicians as regards respect for their institution as well as all the fundamental freedoms associated with their ministry [church group]. vi. Reconciliation • With regard to reconciliation, political leaders are qualified more as obstacles than agents of reconciliation. Leaders must set the pace, otherwise they must get out of the process. “Mapofu haatungamirirani.” [“Two blind men cannot lead each other.”] [all groups except the group of political activists]. • The process of reconciliation can be likened to music. Leaders in the Inclusive Govern­ ment are like instrumentalists playing tunes that are in total disharmony. The people cannot dance. The solution is that the people take the instruments and let the politicians dance. Only communities can lead the process of reconciliation. 7. OBSERVATIONS • The meeting drew participants from all political parties in Makonde, including minority parties like ZAPU and MDC–M. Debate was very healthy and constructive. More issues came out of this meeting than any of the Forum’s previous meetings. A record of four traditional chiefs attended the meeting and all were respected by their subjects. Security agents were also present but participants were free to make recommendations about security sector reform. • The participation of traditional leaders made a big difference to the meeting, especially in areas like Makonde where they are respected. It is recommended that they continue to be encouraged to participate in meetings because their contributions are critical to the development of the community–driven process of traditional justice. • Makonde is a mining, multicultural community with nationalities from neighbouring countries, and the traditional leaders were appointed by their respective cultural groups. They were cleared by the community of any partisan participation in politics. They do not owe their existence as an institution of local government to any political establishment. • Participants were critical of the mission of the Forum, saying that it should aim at “eliminating” and not “reducing” organized violence and torture. They challenged civil society to bring the three principals of the Global Political Agreement to the grassroots people as a test of their commitment to national healing, reconciliation and integration. 78 Taking Transitional Justice to the People – Outreach Report