ZIMBABWE: FROM IMPUNITY TO ACCOUNTABILITY justice at the centre of this process. How is such an ambitious programme to be achieved, or even attempted? 3. THE BATTLE FOR REPARATIONS 8 The Redress Trust is an international NGO whose objectives are to assist torture victims anywhere in the world, and to make accountable all those who perpetuate, aid and abet acts of torture. It has been following closely events in Zimbabwe, and with its considerable experience of the issues involved REDRESS participated in organising the August symposium and presented papers at it. Six months after the event there is no sign of progress towards democracy, nor credible evidence of serious 9 negotiations between Zanu-PF and the MDC to resolve the crisis. Despite this, and indeed because of it, human rights groups and brave individuals inside the country continue to document the ongoing abuses, and to fight for justice in the face of ever10 increasing risks to themselves. While fully engaged in these difficult and dangerous tasks, there has been little opportunity to build on the process initiated at the symposium or to campaign along the lines of the principles, recommendations and resolutions 11 that were debated and agreed. 8 See generally the REDRESS website: http://www.redress.org 9 Since 2000 when the current crisis began, South African President Thabo Mbeki has promised the world that South Africa’s policy of ‘quiet diplomacy’ would help to halt Zimbabwe’s slide into disaster. Four years later, there is no sign that his tacit support for Zanu PF has brought Zimbabwe any closer to resolving any of its manifest economic, social, political and human rights problems; on the contrary, things are far worse now than before. His periodic pronouncements that genuine talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC have commenced, or are imminent, are routinely denied by both parties. 10 Journalists, lawyers, politicians, women’s groups, trade unionists and human rights activists continue to be assaulted, arrested and harassed. The police invariably break-up peaceful public demonstrations with excessive brutality. Government-sponsored youth militias continue their rampages, particularly in the rural areas during by-elections. See the monthly political violence reports compiled by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum: http://www.hrforumzim.com/frames/inside_frame_monthly.htm 11 See the Summary (Appendix II) p.vi: “The Zimbabwean participants recognized they had initiated a process aimed at achieving justice for victims. They undertook to engage in wider consultation within their own organizations, other civic bodies not represented at the symposium and the general public. They will then incorporate these views into a final action plan. The civic organizations that endorse this plan, and agree to participate in its 4