A majority of the respondents (82 per cent) could not blame anyone in particular for violence because they claimed that they had never encountered it; however, 11 per cent blamed political activists. Previous research undertaken by the Forum shows that political violence in Zimbabwe escalates during periods of political activity such as elections, and this could explain why political activists were apportioned the highest percentage of blame by the respondents. Other factors, however, may have been responsible for this. Timing preferences of the transitional justice process could have been a function of individual experiences and the intensity of violence. This was evidenced by responses from the Bulawayo, Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, which pointed to a preference for a process that should begin with the violence carried out just after independence, the time when the Gukurahundi atrocities took place. On the other hand, respondents in the Mashonaland West and East, Harare and Manicaland provinces largely expressed preference for a process that would look at the period from the year 2000 onwards, a period that saw many of these provinces experiencing electoral violence and brutality. This survey has demonstrated that violence did occur and that there is a need for a credible and acceptable transitional justice process in Zimbabwe. The need to rehabilitate victims of past human rights violations and to ensure a future free from violence is paramount. Many past gross human rights violations have not been addressed, and this can only encourage further polarization and disharmony in the country and may lead to more and greater violence. The recommendations of the respondents of this survey are an important stepping-stone to establishing what the people of Zimbabwe want to see in a transitional justice process that could foster true national reconciliation. Transitional Justice Survey – A Report of the People’s Perceptions and Recommendations 25