acknowledging the truth rather than finding the truth. “Acknowledgement” implies that the state has admitted its misdeeds and recognized that it was wrong writes Aryeh Neier. As a bereaved Uruguayan woman confessed, “I am ready to forgive, but I need to know whom to forgive and for what.⁶⁵ In the very process of uncovering a part of the truth and granting it the status of official, and authoritative record can serve to cover up other aspects of the truth. While the mandate of the NPRC is clearly outlined by the Constitution, the history of what has happened with other Commissions in Zimbabwe remains vivid in everyone's mind and thus cannot be dismissed easily. It is thus an unpleasant paradox that truth commissions can in fact cover up exactly those aspects of the past they might be expected to uncover. The NPRC is inherently vulnerable to politically imposed limitations because of its structure, sponsor, mandate, political support, financial or staff resources, access to information, willingness or ability. It is not far-fetched that the NPRC, while civic groups and victims have campaigned for its establishment, it can still be used by the government to manipulate the public perception of its tarnished image, to promote a more favorable view of the country's human rights policies and a “Zimbabwe is open for business” view. This is particularly true when Zimbabwe is under international pressure to improve its human rights record. Given the mandate of commission, by definition, to look at the past rather than the present, it is easy for a new government to justify not being subject to the investigations of the commission, while professing improved human rights policies. The commission therefore conveniently overlooks any current abuses. Given this dynamic, it is not always immediately clear whether a government's commission is more a political tool or an accurate reflection of change. ⁶⁵ See A Rigby, Justice and Reconciliation After the Violence (Boulder Co: Lynne Reinner Publishers 2001) at 8. Anti-Impunity Report 35