The ZRP may also be instrumental in investigating cases of violations referred to it by the Commission. However, most research participants put a caveat on the ZRP involvement in the NPRC work arguing that the police are generally partisan in favour of ZANU PF. The implications of the 6.2 NPRC working with the police under such circumstances include continued public mistrust in the peace and reconciliation process and continued fear by the victims which could lead to low participation in the NPRC interventions Synergies with Non-state Actors A total of 39.1% of the respondents mentioned that the NPRC should work hand in hand with local civic society organizations. Non-state actors have generally played a significant role in promoting national healing, peace and reconciliation. For example, nongovernmental organisations, community based civic groups, and churches among other non-state institutions have been instrumental in facilitating community dialogues, providing psychosocial support services including emotional healing therapy to victims of violence.83 Communities considered civic society institutions as non-partisan because they have been implementing peace building initiatives in Zimbabwe with substantial success. However, while trusting civic society organisations to actively participate in national healing processes, communities also noted that some civic groups are viewed as “regime change agents” which could hinder their acceptability in some social sectors. A Great Zimbabwe University student interviewed added that political parties should be viewed as part of the civic groups that must participate in peace and reconciliation processes. Political parties’ participation in the processes will help dismantle past political electoral violence and rigidities that the country witnessed since independence. However, because political parties have vested interests in any peace and reconciliation process, churches must take the lead. To support this view, further said, “the commission should work with churches because other institutions are politically biased; churches preach unity, forgiveness and work together.”84 Besides working with community level institutions, respondents advocated for a close working relationship between the NPRC and think-tank groups. Such think tanks include the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) and Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) . Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. (2017). Transitional Justice in Pre-Transitional Times. See also; Vinjamuri, L., & Boesenecker, A. P. (2008). Religious actors and transitional justice. Religious Pluralism, Globalization, and World Politics, 155. 84 Personal interview with a student from Great Zimbabwe University on the 23rd of February 2017 83 46 RECONCILIATION PROCESSES IN ZIMBABWE