Communities working Heal Zimbabwe in Makoni District have called on government to extend the lifespan of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) beyond 2023. This came out during a Social Dialogue meeting organised by a Community Peace Club (CPC) working with Heal Zimbabwe in Makoni on 10 June 2022.
The NPRC is one of the Independent Commissions supporting democracy established under Chapter 12 of the constitution charged with ensuring post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation. Participants at the dialogue meeting highlighted that the NPRC is yet to address past atrocities such the 2008 political violence that ravaged Makoni and Headlands. “Closer to us here is the case of Christpower Maisiri, a 12 year old boy from Headlands who was burnt to death at the height of the 2008 political violence. This among many other cases of electoral violence are yet to be addressed by the NPRC.If possible, the lifespan of the NPRC must be extended beyond 2023,” said one participant. Other issues that came out during the dialogue were that there was very little knowledge by the community on the work of the NPRC and its mandate. As part of way forwad, Heal Zimbabwe will develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on the work of the NPRC that will be distributed to communities by its community structures such as CPCs, Human Rights Monitors (HRMs) and Women Safe Spaces for Reconciliation (WSSR).
The meetings by Heal Zimbabwe are part of efforts to empower local communities to help safeguard against human rights abuse and also help build peaceful communities. Heal Zimbabwe utilizes various strategies to address conflicts in local communities. One of these ways is the use of community dialogues, an initiative for communities to discuss and collectively identify ways through which they can proffer solutions to problems in their communities. Such platforms also facilitate local level conversations on pertinent issues affecting communities as well as create socially cohesive communities.
Source: Heal Zimbabwe
