6. SYNERGIES AND COLLABORATIONS HEAL ZIMBABWE - BASELINE STUDY REPORT This section focuses on identifying the stakeholders that communities strongly felt should collaborate with the NPRC in order for the commission to effectively execute its constitutional mandate. The respondents indicated that the NPRC should utilise or work with existing institutions such as faith based organisations, local and international NGOs. Government institutions such as the departments responsible for social welfare, traditional leaders, youth, and women among others should also be involved. 6.1 Synergies With State Actors All research respondents concurred that it was important for the NPRC and other government departments to work together in facilitating peace and reconciliation processes in the country. The police, constitutional court and traditional leaders were identified as strategic state institutions that should work closely with the NPRC. Integration of such state institutions in the work of the NPRC “promotes sustainable peace building at community level as well as ensuring that the whole country benefits from the commission.” The involvement of these stakeholders enhances oversight, legitimizes the Commission’s work and demonstrates the government’s commitment to address past injustices. Traditional leaders have generally been accused of being politically partisan, but they remain powerful local leaders capable of facilitating traditional justice and “ ...they can help relieve pressure from formal courts by handling local matters, like what gacaca courts of Rwanda did after the genocide.” ritualization processes at community level. The role of traditional leaders in the work of the NPRC should not be side-lined. They are instrumental in resolving matters that cannot be dealt easily with by formal courts such as the appeasement of vengeful spirits and other cases of intimidation and harassment. In addition, “they can help relieve pressure from formal courts by handling local matters, like what gacaca courts of Rwanda did after the genocide.”81 However, there is evidence of those who participated in the Rwandese gacaca courts facing retribution and insecurity, testimonies in the traditional courts would trigger participants’ propensity to revenge, reduce their inclination to forgive or increase insecurity, particularly to those who give testimonies.82 This means security and safety measures should be put in place to avoid such pitfalls. For peace and reconciliation processes to succeed, full cooperation of law enforcement agencies is a necessity. Research respondents (21.7%) pointed out that law enforcement is the responsibility of the police. Therefore, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) must see itself as an implementing arm of the NPRC and it must enforce the law, especially, by protecting victims and witnesses from intimidation or victimisation by perpetrators of violence. Personal interview with a Traditional Leader in Masvingo on the 24th of February 2017 Karen Brounéus, ‘The Trauma of Truth Telling: Effects of Witnessing in the Rwandan Gacaca Courts on Psychological Health,’ Journal of Conflict Resolution 54(3) (2010): 409. See also: Bernard Rimé and Patrick Kanyangara, ‘The Impact of Gacaca Tribunals in Rwanda: Psychosocial Effects of Participation in a Truth and Reconciliation Process after a Genocide,’ European Journal of Social Psychology 41 (2011): 695–706. 81 82 45