NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisations (NGOs) held an awareness campaign for the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) at the Bulawayo City Hall car park.
PRIVILEGE SHOKO/ MELODY CHIMHAU
The NPRC is one of five independent commissions whose main purpose is to ensure post-conflict resolution, justice, healing and reconciliation.
The organisations include Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust, Heal Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum and Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe.
Speaking to Southern Eye at the event, Dzikamai Bere, a representative of Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, said the campaign was meant to engage citizens on the issue of peace and reconciliation.
“This is the first time we are engaging Bulawayo residents so that the public knows about the National Peace Reconciliation Commission,” he said.
“We are encouraging citizens to participate in the establishment of the commission as the process seems to be driven by a few.”
Bere said they had realised that the NPRC was being driven by parliamentarians without any effort to engage the public.
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“The NPRC is not a politically driven process, but members of the public should be included,” he said.
“Members of the public are encouraged to consult their Members of Parliament, local councillors, media organisations and the National Transitional Justice Working Group, for their political grievances.”
Bere said the issue of peace in the country has been a long journey, as some politicians run away in the process.
“We are advocating for a speedy implementation of the NPRC as some people have become suspicious and are afraid to speak out,” he said.
“NPRC strives to document human rights concerns and the violence that is linked to major political parties.”
Bere said they were conducting 10 campaigns throughout the country for the NPRC.
“This is the second campaign as we have already conducted one in Harare where we managed to interact with 3 000 citizens,” he said.
