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Mutare rural joins the peace effort
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR)
December 09, 2010

More than 30 participants men, women and youths from various wards representing Mutare rural attended the ROHR Zimbabwe peace building capacity building workshop held in Mutare at the Museum on Friday 26 November. The determined participants pledged their commitment to the peace effort, to spread the gospel of peace, teach skills for building peace and begin being the change for the prevalence of peace. Among the participants were representatives from the president's office and law and order section from Mutare central police station.

After exploring the crisis outcome mapping tool to identify the crucial systems and stakeholders of peace in the various communities, the participants unanimously agreed that they have no confidence in the state institutions on the cause of peace. The lack of objectivity and independence of state institutions was echoed as the greatest loop hole in the responsibility that the state has towards its people.

Also lambasted alongside is the organ for National healing, which was described as having a lot to do but owes the nation so much that for now it had nothing to show for its existence. The peace building capacity building workshops are targeting community members, traditional and opinion leaders who can in turn spread the acquired skills and experience to their resident communities. The major aim of the capacity building training is to empower community members to be able to manage conflict before it degenerates into a violent form and also to develop skills to build peace.

The training curriculum includes modules on definition of major concepts like peace building, crisis prevention, national healing, conflict transformation and reconciliation; conflict analysis, intervening in conflict, communication, facilitation and training.

Under the peace building project aimed at promoting cohesion, peace and tolerance ROHR Zimbabwe is set to cover eight districts spear heading peace related activities as a deliberate effort to influence this critical defining moment at the height of talks of elections in the country early next year.

ROHR Zimbabwe notes with grave concern that the slow implementation of the agreed terms of the Global political agreement, the unreformed state institutions, lack of security sector reform and lack of media independence are the major highlights casting a dark shadow over the holding of credible elections, observance of human rights and prevalence of sustainable peace.

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