|
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
Truth, justice, reconciliation and national healing - Index of articles
Transitional
justice options for Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Human
Rights NGO Forum
September 17, 2008
The Zimbabwe Human Rights
NGO Forum held a workshop on 9 and 10 September 2008 which drew
participations from a broad spectrum of civil society in Zimbabwe
to discuss the transitional justice options for Zimbabwe. The participants
of the workshop being fully committed to truth, justice, accountability
and the need for sustainable peace in Zimbabwe resolved that there
was need for transitional justice and set out the minimum demands
for such a process.
Transitional justice
generally refers to a range of approaches that states may use to
address past human rights wrongs and includes both judicial and
non-judicial approaches. It seeks recognition for the victims and
to promote possibilities for peace, reconciliation and democracy.
However such mechanisms can only be implemented in the event of
a change, such as that which is likely to occur following the signing
of the agreement by the political parties. Civic society organizations
at the meeting agreed that given the history of human rights abuse
in pre and post independent Zimbabwe, there was need for transitional
justice mechanisms which would follow these fundamental principles;
victim - centered; comprehensive, inclusive, consultative participation
of all stakeholders, particularly the victims; the establishment
of the truth; acknowledgment; justice, compensation and reparations;
national healing and reconciliation; non-repetition (never again);
gender sensitive; transparency and accountability, and nation building
and reintegration.
The organizations present
at the workshop, having agreed on the principles also agreed of
several non-negotiable minimum demands for a transitional justice
process, which include, no amnesty for crimes against humanity,
torture, rape and other sexual crimes, and economic crimes such
as corruption; no extinguishing of civil claims against the perpetrators
or the state; comprehensive reparations for victims of human rights
violations; no-one should hold an official office who has been responsible
for gross human rights violations and corruption; a credible and
independent truth seeking inquiry into the conflicts of the past
which holds perpetrators to account and which provides victims the
opportunity to tell their story; independent monitoring and reform
of the operations and structures of the police, army, paramilitary,
security coordination, administration of justice, food distribution
and other organs of state involved in the implementation of the
transition.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights
NGO Forum strongly urges the government to consider establishing
a transitional justice mechanism that conforms to the principles
set out by civics and also to take cognizance of the minimum demand
of civil society in such a process.
Visit the Zimbabwe
Human Rights NGO Forum fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
