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SCMZ
holds a public meeting on national healing and reconciliation in Harare
Student Christian
Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ)
August 27, 2010
The Student Christian
Movement of Zimbabwe (SCMZ) successfully held a Public Meeting in
Harare on the 26th of August 2010 at the Quality International Hotel.
The topic for discussion was "National Healing and Reconciliation
Process Underway: Possibilities for Real Healing among youth in Zimbabwe".
Speakers were Maddock Chivasa (National
Constitutional Assembly), Nicole Senderayi (Zimbabwe Young Women`s
Network on Peace Building), Pastor Mugabe (Christian Alliance) and
Lawrence Mashungu (SCMZ Senior Friend). The meeting was attended by
about 67 youth coming from different background. The public meeting
came as part of an intensive campaign on National healing and reconciliation
that SCMZ is currently undertaking throughout the nation. Critical
issues raised were as follows:
- Political
party appointees should not lead the process as it is common knowledge
that much of the violence experienced in the country is attributed
to these functionaries. The Church is the right candidate to lead
the process as it always preaches the gospel of forgiveness, love
and brotherliness. Hence politicians should not lead this process.
- There is
need for a proper framework which should guide the process of
healing and reconciliation before political leaders declare that
the healing process has began, as they have done. This should
be hinged on a very intensive grass root consultations where young
people are at the centre stage since they are both perpetrators
and victims.
- The political
environment prevailing should be conducive for true healing since
healing starts with the individual, then cascades to the greater
community.
- Those politicians
who are using the National Healing Process as an election campaign
vehicle should stop forthwith as this further divides our communities.
- The meeting
was in agreement that the Inclusive Government is not serious
about the process. For true and genuine healing to take place
, the Government should address the socio-economic service delivery
system.
- There is
need for an enabling political environment that produces a democratic
and people oriented constitution, which politicians respect and
follow.
- Government
should also address the issue of unemployment as this contributes
to the vulnerability of young people.
- A new political
culture should be cultured among youth for them to desist from
violently participating in party politics.
- Perpetrators
of violence should openly testify that they have done wrong, apologies
and justice should take its course.
In summation
participants generally agreed that young people need to take the
issues of national healing as our generational mandate for true
reconciliation to be achieved. The focus of youth should be on
common issues that concerns us regardless of our political or
ideological differences.
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