THE most significant detail that emerged from the newly formed National Transitional Justice Working Group in Zimbabwe (NTJWG)’s press release was the organisation’s attempt to ignore pre-independence atrocities while focusing on ‘human-rights violations’ allegedly committed from 1980 to date.
In the press release which was published on page B5 of The Herald Business last week, Wednesday, the NTJWG frivolously claims that ‘violations of human rights are still ongoing’ in a brazen attempt to bring the country into the global spotlight and draw the attention of donors.
The NTJWG which purports to be a platform established to provide ‘the interface’ between transitional justice stakeholders and the official transitional processes in Zimbabwe, leaves a flak in its human rights stunt through its consistent use of Zimbabwe and not Rhodesia as the focal point for its activities.
Its limitation to ‘violations’ allegedly committed in Zimbabwe while ignoring activities of Rhodesians lays bare the route the organisation intends to take in its ‘mandate’ as it says in the press release.
Of note is the composition of the organisation.
The grouping consists largely of blacks who without doubt have their eye firmly fixed on donor funding.
Alec Muchadehama doubles as the chairperson and reparations officer, Professor Pamela Machakanja is the deputy chairperson and ‘independent’ expert, Reverend Dr Fradereck Chiromba is responsible for the promotion of truth, a Ms Roselyn Hanzi is tasked with justice and accountability sector while another Reverend Dr Ray Motsi is responsible for memorialisation.
“Some very important recommendations were made which included the need to put in place mechanisms to ensure that past violations never reoccur in Zimbabwe,” reads the NTJWG press release in part.
“Thus the Symposium recommended the need to set up institutions to deal with past and present human rights violations and that such institutions be empowered not only to investigate and seek truth but also to recommend criminal prosecution, provide redress and reparations and lead to the healing of the nation.”
Borrowing from the opposition MDC-T language, the NTJWG says ‘violations of human rights are still ongoing and the economic aspects of transitional justice have been largely ignored’.
There have been several attempts in the past by an array of non governmental organisations (NGOs) to use the so-called human rights violations ticket to push for the prosecution of the country’s leadership and attract donor funding for their activities.
Not surprising, focus has been on the ‘violations’ said to have been committed from 1980 while those perpetrated by the colonial regime have been largely ignored.
Of interest has been the forces behind the push for inquiries of the so-called post-independence ‘human rights violations’.
The very same people like Roy Bennett, Iain Kay, David Coltart, who tortured people in parts of the country like Svosve, Domboshava, Rusape to mention but a few are the brains behind the push for ‘human rights violations’ probes.
Evidence of their reign of terror is still being discovered in areas such as Chibondo, Mutasa, Rusape ‘Butcher’.
Ironically, the Chimoio, Nyadzonia, Chibondo, Freedom Camp massacres have never been probed by any of these NGOs.
Disappointingly and despite the fact that scars of their shocking activities are still visible, no attempt has been made to bring them to book.
And they are walking free and plotting against the Government of Zimbabwe and using human rights violations as reasons for the removal from power of the country’s leadership!
In recent weeks there has also been a baffling resurgence of attempts to take Zimbabwe back to the pre- July 31, 2013 era.
Coincidentally, while the NTJWG was going about with its ‘human rights’ mantra last week, another NGO, the International Crisis Group was during the same period, publishing a report that claimed there was what they said was a ‘crisis’ in the country.
There is a catch to this-to neutralise the impact of the mega economic deals that Zimbabwe has just signed with China and Russia.
Equally revealing is the timing of these two reports which comes at a time when the country is being inundated with enquiries for re-engagement by Western countries.
In the same light, the European Union (EU), which after being accosted by Britain imposed illegal economic sanctions under the pretext that there were unprecedented human rights violations in the country will review the sanctions on November 1.
This review of the widely discredited sanctions embargo and the re-engagement efforts by the West do not bode well with the future of the NGOs, hence the new strategy to revive the dead ‘human rights violations’ project.
The reality is that the ground has shifted and drifted far away from expectations and hopes of NGOs but there is always going to be an attempt by the NGOs to fight for their long departed political space.
With the thumping of their feeder grouping, the MDC-T in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections which they were not expecting, the problems plaguing NGOs cannot be ignored. 
Drained by ZANU PF’s heroic exploits in the election in question, none of the NGOs have been at their best in terms of destabilising Zimbabwe since last year.
The bigger problem, though, is the donors who are missing in action.
Under pressure and their finances depreciating, the revival of ‘crisis in Zimbabwe’ and ‘probing’ human rights violations is the new strategy.
Going by the ICG and NTJWG’s reports, talk of the NGO sector running out of steam is undoubtedly premature.
They are now going on an all out offensive to destabilise the country through smear campaigns.
But as is now the case, no one pays attention as focus is on bringing investment and re-engaging with Zimbabwe.
For the NTJWG there can only be fair execution of duty if and when it probes violations that took place before April 18 1980.
Whether they will do that or not is a question for another day, but for now it is clear that it is about the remaining few dollars from donors and destabilising the country.