a le a or rea on for e n p the NPRC Major Reason Percentages (%) To undo cyclic violent conflicts 20.4 Justice 15.5 To heal the pain of the victims 14.9 To help in nation building 14.3 To facilitate compensation and restitution 9.2 Truth-telling 8.4 Forgiveness 8.0 To undue a culture of impunity 4.2 To undo racial and ethnic tensions 3.1 To bring closure to some traumatic past 2.1 Total 100 In a range of 1-5, the reason ranked first by 20.4% of the respondents as the major reason for setting up the NPRC was to undo cyclic violent conflicts, while justice was ranked second. Bringing closure to some traumatic and undoing racial and ethnic tensions were ranked last. These responses show that peace and reconciliation process is not just about victims only, but a broader transformation of cultures of conflict and violence within the Zimbabwean society. Interviewees also raised issues related to undoing cycles of violence because Zimbabwe as a nation has never been afforded an opportunity to heal from the wounds of the liberation struggle and the post liberation conflicts. For example, a participant from Lupane said “there a lot of festering wounds that need to be healed or else they will poison generations if not addressed.”34 A member of the opposition leadership also echoed that sentiment with the comment: Anger is accumulating and therefore peace and reconciliation are needed in a wounded society (which emotionally needs to reconcile). There is anger on the victims’ side and their dependents. If that is resolved, people will live in harmony notwithstanding the human made disasters of the past. …Zimbabwe’s peace and reconciliation story derives from the political life of the country since 1980 characterised by violence and harassment by the ruling party and the state.35 The above views demonstrate that healing, avoiding further violence and reconciling victims with their aggressors should be focal points within the NPRC. Still, the justification for peace and reconciliation in Zimbabwe is not only about the postindependence politically motivated violations as noted by an opposition leader. Both pre and post-independence issues relating to the liberation struggle squabbles including tribalism and regionalism should also be addressed. To explain this need, a liberation war veteran said: Some regions were suppressed, and their key political figures were eliminated. The Whites had a long-term agenda to control the country and they created their own sell-outs, but the nationalist movements also had sell-outs planted by the West, some were pretender revolutionaries. Liberation fighters should be excused because they were vulnerable, they went to war with Standard six36 at most, and so many were manipulated even in the post war developments.37 Personal interview with a Civic Society leader on the 14th of March 2017 Personal interview with an opposition leader in Chipinge on the 17th of February 2017 36 Standard six refers to educational level (used during the colonial era) equivalent to (form 2) high school education in today’s Zimbabwe. 37 Personal interview with a Resident of Bulawayo in Bulawayo on the 14th of March 2017 34 35 22 RECONCILIATION PROCESSES IN ZIMBABWE