A Guide to Understanding A Guide to Understanding the the NATIONAL NATIONAL PEACE & RECONCILIATION PEACE & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION COMMISSION IN ZIMBABWE IN ZIMBABWE Acknowledgments The National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) Foreword acknowledges support given by various stakeholders during the O development of this guide. n 22 May 2013, President Robert Mugabe signed into law thanks the new of Zimbabwe a long is the Special goConstitution to the secretariat of the following NTJWG, which constitutional reform process dating as far back as 1999. Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum. One of the key features of NGO this Constitution is Chapter 12, which establishes five independent Commissions supporting democracy. This would not Commissions have been in successful without the generous One of guide the independent this Chapter is the National support our funding partners. Peace andofReconciliation Commission (NPRC), which is given the duty to ensure post-conflict justice, healing, and reconciliation. This For feedback and information inmany this guide, we are grateful Commission represents the efforts of organisations includingto the churches, victimwho groups, Non-Governmental (NGOs) stakeholders read through the draftOrganisations guide and gave valuable and international organisations that have been clamouring for input. a Commission to help the Zimbabwean society come to terms with its violent past. It the represents the of hopes of many victims (and for Finally, we owe it to thousands victims who have requested survivors) of past human rights violations that truth, justice and this simplified guide. It is their enduring hope for healing which keeps healing may see the light of the day. us on our feet. The successes and failures of the NPRC are still to be seen, but what is clear is that an important conversation has already started. The success of the NPRC depends on the good will of individuals, groups, communities and more importantly the political will of the Government. This Guide to Understanding the NPRC is the NTJWG’s contribution to ensuring that the NPRC is visible, its purpose understood and supported by all. The Guide is simple to use and understand. Written in plain language, the guide is a valuable resource for civic education, community leaders and facilitators, schools, survivors of human rights violence, human rights defenders, lawyers, lawmakers and anyone who wants to understand the NPRC and its work in Zimbabwe. We hope you will find this guide useful. Muchadehama, Alec (Mr.) NTJWG Chairperson 6 4