HEAL ZIMBABWE - BASELINE STUDY REPORT fought the war of liberation. The government pacified the war veterans with financial rewards of ZW$50,000 (equal to USD 4,500) each, but the issue subsequently emerged again in the year 2000, illustrating that this initial pacification was insufficient. The government, as a result, accepted to redistribute land through the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.17 While this programme reconciled the Zimbabwean blacks and the government, albeit on partisan grounds, it created a huge conflict between the government and the white community that was relieved of their land, hence creating a racial-land reconciliation need. While the land issue was simmering, Zimbabwean citizens demanded constitutional reforms. This led to the setting up of a Constitutional Commission (on 28 April 1999) to oversee the development of a new constitution between 1999 and 2000.18 The constitutional changes were triggered by the desire to enshrine Zimbabwean people’s aspirations into the constitution while removing the colonial (Lancaster House) laws. However, the attempt failed when the majority voted against the constitution in the 2000 referendum. Similar efforts were made between 2009 -2013 through the Constitution Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) where a new constitution was drafted and successfully adopted through referendum in July 2013. As such, the constitutional referenda of 2000 and 2013 challenged the colonial laws and the lack of rule of law in the modern Zimbabwe. Following violent elections in 2008, a coalition government was established marking a political reconciliation effort. The Government of National Unity (GNU) also established peace and reconciliation architectures such as the Organ on National Healing Reconciliation and Integration (ONHRI), the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) and the Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC). These institutions had different mandates, but they all contributed towards creating an atmosphere of unity, tolerance and reconciliation. ONHRI was specifically responsible for facilitating national healing and reconciliation among communities, while JOMIC sought to promote a peaceful political reform by monitoring the work of political parties in implementing the Global Political Agreement. COPAC, on the other hand, facilitated constitutional reforms that led to the development and adoption of the 2013 Zimbabwean constitution. Reconciliation in Zimbabwe has always been a necessity given the country’s history. Both the pre and postindependence eras had experienced episodes of human rights violations. Therefore, efforts to address the legacy of violence and conflict culminated into a compromised decision to have a legal provision in the constitution that establishes the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. As such, the country is looking forward to a comprehensive reconciliation process. Like all of the above efforts, if not fully aided by a sincere and honest political desire to resolve the past, the Moyo, S. (2004). A Review of Zimbabwean Agricultural Sector following the Implementation of the Land Reform: Overall Impacts of Fast Track Land Reform Programme. Retrieved from http://archive.kubatana.net/docs/agric/aias_ land_reform_040513.pdf 18 Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. (2001). Human Rights and Zimbabwe’s June 2000 Elections Retrieved from. http://hrforumzim.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/SR27-Human-Rights-and-Zimbabwes-June2000-Election.pdf 17 9