Methodology
The NTJWG convened a meeting with survivors of politically motivated violence based in Nyanga
North, Ward 3 on 24 September, 2019 bringing together 28 participants. 20 were male and 8 were
female. 3 male were from the NTJWG Secretariat. This shifted our focus from the traditional survivors
which the NTJWG has been working with in the past to engaging communities which have been doing
TJ work in their communities who will be engaged for further initiatives in the future. The NTJWG
seeks to activate survivors at Ward-level and make the entire TJ process in Zimbabwe victim-centred.
Engaging survivors at this juncture is important because the NPRC has also commenced consultative
meetings, basis truth-telling and truth-seeking initiatives and it is important to disseminate the
mandate of the NPRC so that survivors can effectively engage official TJ process in Zimbabwe.
Survivors can even go further and present their challenges to PPCs. It is important to ensure that
survivors are equipped with the necessary skills to engage the NPRC processes when they visit their
areas.
NPRC processes should be victim-centric, thus survivors should be equipped with the right information
and knowledge when approaching the Commission. The community dialogue created a platform for
survivors to share their experiences and what they think about the official TJ processes in Zimbabwe.
The dialogue allowed survivors to identify gaps, challenges, successes and recommendations for the
Commission. Issues raised by survivors will also be utilized by the NTJWG to compile a holistic report
for advocacy purposes.
Figure 1: Participants during the community dialogue in Nyanga.
Unpacking the NPRC’s mandate
Mr.Sekai Gombe, one of the trainees on 30 August, 2019, opened the session by highlighting the
conflict people went through in Nyanga. He zeroed into the political violence which engulfed Nyanga,
especially between 2002 and 2008. Most, like him agreed that they also lost their property and
livelihoods. Their livestock, houses, physical and mental well-being were taken away. They feel that
their rights are not even respected up to date.
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