1.0 INTRODUCTION
On 5 January 2018, the Government of Zimbabwe gazetted the National
Peace and Reconciliation Commission Act (NPRC Act) operationalizing the
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC). This set into
motion a very important chapter in the history of Zimbabwe. In this Code
of Inclusion, NTJWG advances the mandate given by stakeholders to
ensure that the processes of transitional justice in Zimbabwe are aligned to
the expectations of the people of Zimbabwe and meet the best
international standards.
In November 2014 (revised in 2015), NTJWG published the Minimum
Standards for an Effective National Peace and Reconciliation Commission in
Zimbabwe.
Standard number 5 reads as follows:
Inclusiveness, Public Information and Participation
The legitimacy of the NPRC does not end with its constitutionality but
perpetuates and strengthens in the manner in which it is going to
conduct its work. The NPRC must strive to promote an inclusive
national truth-seeking and healing process with greater public
participation and transparency. No member of the Zimbabwean
society must feel left out or deprived of information regarding the work
of the NPRC. Measures must be put in place to ensure that the NPRC
works with everyone who is willing to be involved and that the public is
adequately informed of its work at every stage. Selected public
hearings and debates must be broadcasted as wide as possible without
interfering with the integrity of the process and with due consent from
the participants. Inclusivity and participation must not be a token but a
major priority allowing the NPRC engagements to take a genuinely
national character. The NPRC must ensure that expediency does not
come at the expense of meaningful participation of all interested
parties. There must be a clear demonstration by the NPRC of its
willingness to engage and facilitate meaningful and effective
participation. This is not just about the availability of information, but
also the structures and facilities that make information meaningful and
accessible to everyone in all languages and locations.
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THE CODE OF INCLUSION