Executive Summary
This report captures the proceedings of the Second International Conference on Transitional
Justice in Zimbabwe held from 9th to 11th October 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The
conference discussed the prospects of establishing an effective National Peace and
Reconciliation Commission in Zimbabwe, which meets the expectations of the people and is
also in sync with international best practices. The conference was co-hosted by the Zimbabwe
Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum), the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) and the
Hague Institute for Global Justice (THIGJ). The presentations and discussions at the conference
interrogated how Zimbabwe could learn from the experiences of other countries in Africa and
other parts of the world, and to propose a programme of action.
The meeting discussed the provisions of section 252 of the new Constitution of Zimbabwe,
which mandates the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to ensure postconflict justice, healing and reconciliation. It also seeks to promote truth telling and
accountability for past human rights violations and anything incidental to the prevention of
conflict and the promotion of peace1. The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to
contribute to the establishment of a credible and effective Commission capable of fulfilling its
constitutional mandate.
Transitional Justice in the context of Zimbabwe
Over the past couple of decades, the United Nations (UN), the international community and
individual countries have sought to find the right responses to the devastating legacies of
human rights violations, mass atrocities and genocide. In numerous cases, an important part of
the response has been the establishment, in one form or another, of truth recovery mechanisms
such as truth commissions. Truth seeking and reconciliation have now become a universal
feature of the architecture of post-conflict peace building.
Zimbabwe has had a history of violence and impunity that continue to threaten peace. In some
instances the government responded to episodes of violence, looting and other gross human
1
See Section 252 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe [Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013], which outlines the functions of the National Peace
and Reconciliation Commission.
ii
The Second International Conference on Transitional Justice in Zimbabwe