Deputy
President
of
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs,
Chief
Fortune
Charumbira,
told
a
press
conference
in
Bulawayo
that
the
process
will
follow
a
victim-centred
approach
to
safeguard
the
dignity,
safety
and
privacy
of
survivors
of
the
1980s
atrocities.
“Our
approach
is
victim-centred.
These
are
not
public
hearings,”
he
said.
“Because
of
the
sensitivities
involved
and
the
private
nature
of
some
of
the
testimonies,
such
accounts
cannot
be
shared
openly.”
He
stressed
that
even
multiple
victims
from
the
same
community
would
not
appear
together.
Instead,
each
will
be
seen
individually
by
a
14-member
local
panel,
led
by
the
area’s
chief,
with
time
slots
arranged
to
ensure
privacy.
“Victims
will
appear
one
at
a
time.
A
chief
may,
for
example,
hear
one
victim
in
the
morning
and
another
in
the
afternoon.
Victims
may
only
bring
one
or
two
close
family
members
if
they
wish,”
Charumbira
said.
The
hearings
will
be
overseen
by
local
chiefs
supported
by
a
panel
comprising
elders,
religious
leaders,
youth
and
women’s
representatives,
as
well
as
counselling
experts,
all
drawn
from
the
chief’s
jurisdiction
to
maintain
cultural
sensitivity.
When
asked
if
victims
could
choose
to
speak
to
the
media
outside
the
hearings,
Charumbira
firmly
replied:
“No.”
He
explained
that
the
restriction
was
intended
to
prevent
re-traumatisation
and
social
stigma
for
victims
whose
accounts
may
expose
deeply
personal
or
painful
experiences.
“These
are
private
matters.
Like
certain
court
cases
held
in
camera,
these
hearings
are
confidential
to
protect
the
victim’s
well-being,”
he
said.
Charumbira
revealed
that
previous
efforts
to
agree
on
media
access
guidelines
with
government
and
journalists
had
stalled.
“We
met
with
the
Ministry
of
Information
to
explore
media
involvement,
and
the
media
fraternity
was
tasked
to
propose
a
code
of
conduct.
To
date,
no
such
framework
has
been
submitted,”
he
said.
Despite
this,
Charumbira
insisted
that
media
attendance
would
remain
inappropriate
given
the
sensitivity
of
the
proceedings.
“Some
revelations
could
damage
a
victim’s
standing
in
the
community
forever.
We
cannot
risk
that,”
he
warned.
“Even
if
media
were
to
be
excluded
after
the
fact,
information
might
already
be
leaked
or
misused.”
Responding
to
concerns
that
barring
the
media
contradicts
the
principle
of
transparency,
Charumbira
argued
that
openness
lies
in
providing
victims
with
a
safe
platform
to
speak.
“The
openness
is
to
the
victims,
not
the
public.
The
public
will
be
informed
through
official
briefings.
What
is
important
is
the
final
report,
not
individual
stories,”
he
said.
Charumbira
assured
journalists
that
the
National
Council
of
Chiefs
would
issue
periodic
updates
on
the
hearings’
progress.
“Regular
media
briefings
will
be
held
by
the
President
of
the
Council
of
Chiefs
to
keep
the
public
informed,”
he
said.