In this regard, there are several important sources of primary data. These records alone amount to over 7,000 reports of violations covering the key periods of abuse in Zimbabwe’s independence era. They also include some detail of violations perpetrated during the colonial period. Additional primary data records relating to this period, particularly from the CCJPR, if located, would help to address the deficit of primary data from this period. A number of other narrative records from the post-2000 period are available, although it is not clear to what extent these records complement or duplicate other records. The creation of a relational database would help eliminate this problem, and therefore permit the development of a more accurate picture of the violations perpetrated. As a first step in the process, this means that we must rely exclusively on the utilisation (i.e. coding and processing) of primary data (i.e. statements, narrative accounts) of violations, and in this regard several key sources have been identified. All relevant parties have indicated a willingness to participate in the process of developing a relational database, although participation for some will be contingent on clear agreements around issues of confidentiality and conditions for the utilisation of the data. Although the quality of narratives varies considerably, from detailed statements to limited note taking, the bulk of these primary sources are believed to contain adequate detail for the construction of a database. It is unlikely, however, that the available information would allow for the kind of detail contained in some of the relational databases developed by certain truth commissions or other human rights enquiries. Although it is inevitable that there will be a number of gaps in the available data, the database will help identify these, and if subsequent data collection processes are employed, these additional narratives could also be included on the database. As such, the development of the database is not dependent on all the information being available at one time. In other words, there is enough available information to start the process. The Johannesburg Symposium Declaration requested some emphasis be given to issues of social and economic injustices and violations. Although a considerable amount of data on these issues has been collected (primarily it would seem in a qualitative format), at this stage it is not clear how these violations and issues can be captured in relation to a relational database that may focus essentially on gross violations of civil and political rights. A more detailed overview of civil and political rights violations (i.e. types of violation, location of violations etc), however, will assist any analyses which attempt to explore the interface between these different sets of violations. For example, one would be able to examine how violence and displacement in certain parts of the country relate to depreciating social and economic conditions. Likewise, records – particularly from media monitors, such as the MMPZ – can create a chronology of events, enabling researchers to interrogate the interface, for example, of recorded statements of policy directives or hate speech by government officials and subsequent violations. This would be of critical importance for accurately assessing assertions, for example, that the land invasions were a spontaneous response from ordinary Zimbabweans. It would also enable researchers to empirically assess what efforts were made by the State to stop the violence, and/or hold perpetrators accountable. The project would also be able to integrate information found in documentary sources with information coming from the narratives. In addition, if the organisation wants to provide some sort of central indexing of the ideas, events, or people covered in particular documents, then coded representations of these documents could be included in the information management system. “As with all data collection, the organisation must decide what information they want to extract from the documents in question. By developing a standard set of “questions”, the organisation has defined 35