RIGHTS-ZIMBABWE: An Old Question Returns: What Peace Without Justice?

• by Busani Bafana (bulawayo)
• Friday, July 24, 2009
• Inter Press Service

The soft-spoken John Nkomo is one of the three faces of the Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, a body appointed in April by President Mugabe under the framework of Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement (GPA) to 'set up a mechanism to properly advise on what measures might be necessary and practicable to achieve the National Healing, Cohesion and Unity in respect of victims of pre-and post-Independence conflict.'

Today, the inclusive government led a national ceremony dedicating Zimbabwe to peace and committing all three parties to renouncing all forms of violence as part of three days set aside for Zimbabweans to pray for and reflect on peace and reconciliation.

'These will be days of prayers where we dedicate our country to God and seek his guidance as we create a new Zimbabwe where we live together, tolerant of each other,' said Nkomo in a telephone interview with IPS.

The dedication ceremony is only the first step in what is expected to be a lengthy process. Nkomo said the Organ will soon start country-wide consultation to gather views on how national healing should be done.

'Country-wide consultations will guide us in our work in getting to the root cause of the violence,' Nkomo told IPS. 'For we need to have cool heads in undertaking the task of reconciliation and we do not believe in revenge. If it is an eye for an eye, Zimbabwe will have no eyes to guide it.'

The 74-year old Nkomo has lived through several rounds of violent political struggle, from the war of independence in the Rhodesia of 1960s and 1970s, the brutal repression in Matabeleland in the mid 1980s, the violence that accompanied land seizures beginning in 2000, and the recent fear and brutality of the 2008 elections.

As chair, Nkomo will work alongside Gibson Sibanda - a former trade unionist and a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change now representing the Arthur Mutambara faction - and human rights activist Sekai Holland, another MDC founding member now with the Morgan Tsvangirai faction.

'We are aware there is a lot of pain and hurt, but we are saying let us find a way to heal that pain and reconcile our differences. We are putting together a system that will facilitate for people to share ideas and implement an acceptable mechanism to heal the wounds in our nation.'

It's not the first time Nkomo has been called upon to play the role of peacemaker. He was the mediator between government and a committee established to help victims of the Gukurahundi killings in the early 1980s.

Gukurahundi - a shona term referring to the first rains which wash away the chaff - became the name of the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade deployed to Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in the early 1980s to end armed conflict with remnants of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union, the other party that fought for Zimbabwean independence. Thousands of people died in the fighting.

Nkomo is one of the four big wigs who make up the Presidium of ZANU-PF, the highest decision making body in the party, the others. Others include President Mugabe and Vice-presidents Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru. He is said to be level-headed and firm, and enjoys political clout and respect.

Those close to Nkomo say he believes in consultation when he is not in the know, is a team player and a close confidante of President Mugabe. A teacher by training, Nkomo was involved in the liberation struggle and has worn many ministerial hats in the government since independence. He served as Speaker of Parliament in 2005 but did not contest the elections in 2008. He was appointed to the Senate by President Mugabe.

But with Zanu PF supporters accused of the bulk of violence in the run up and after the elections of 2008, some critics have questioned the fitness of one of the highest ranking members of the same party to lead reconciliation between perpetrators and victims. Nkomo said he expected that there would be people questioning his leadership on this matter, but he is determined to use his knowledge to give reconciliation a chance.

Former Zanu-PF strongman and defence minister, Enos Nkala, is one of those not convinced.

'What are they healing and who are they healing,' asked Nkala. 'To me it is all about employment. They have jobs to do.

'Are they going to restore the huts that were burnt? How will they deal with victims of violence who are alive today who are spiritually, emotionally and physically wounded? We should begin by calling for a truth commission.'

Suggestions from civil society organisation are that government should have begun by consulting widely on who should lead the reconciliation process.

NGOS and other stakeholders further say a truth commission should be held as a first step to reconciliation and ultimately healing. Perpetrators of violence and victims must talk about what happened and then find ground for forgiveness.

Nkomo dismisses calls that the team appointed is not fit for the task saying: 'We are the right people because we were victims of the colonial set up, some of those people who point fingers are not victims but want to speak for victims. As politicians we know what violence is all about as we fought each other and we understand it.'

While the government has left it to the Organ to propose mechanisms for reconciliation and recommend actions that will heal citizens from the country's violent past, there is strong sentiment in the country that reconciliation is not possible without justice. Nkomo says the Organ will open the floor to many suggestions including that of a truth commission as long as the process is 100 percent managed by Zimbabweans.

Civil society organisations which met under the auspices of the Civil Society Monitoring Mechanism have concerns about the national dealing initiative. They argue the national dedication ceremony is a government ploy to cover up the serious and ongoing violations of human rights.

'We remain deeply concerned by government’s failure to consult civic society and the general populace on the proposed national healing initiative, in particular the Dedication Ceremony which is scheduled for 24 July 2009,' civil society organization represented by NANGO said in a statement.

'We note that this process cannot be sincere in the current socio-political context until and unless there is an immediate halt to the ongoing state-sponsored politically motivated violence, selective and targeted prosecutions.

© Inter Press Service (2009) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service