In this episode, clinical psychologist and forensic anthropologist Dr Shari Eppel discusses her work finding, exhuming and identifying the remains of the disappeared of Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. Dr Beatrice Canossi and Dr Lauren Dempster speak to Shari about how she became involved in efforts to recover the disappeared, her experience of training a local team in this, the importance of recovering the disappeared for families and communities, and the challenges encountered when trying to recover the disappeared.

This was episode was recorded in March 2025 during a visit by Shari to Belfast [https://www.qub.ac.uk/Research/GRI/mitchell-institute/news/TransitionalJusticeClusterEvents.html]

You can learn more about Shari’s work in this area in the publications below:

Eppel, Shari, “How Shall We Talk of Bhalagwe? Remembering the Gukurahundi Era in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe”: in Wale, Kim, Pumla Goboda-Madikizela, Jeffrey Prager (Eds), Post-Conflict Hauntings: Transforming Memories of Historical Trauma, Palgrave MacMillan, Cham, Switzerland, 2020.

Eppel, Shari, “Healing the Dead in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: Combining Tradition with Science to Restore Personhood After Massacres”: in Benyera, Everisto (Ed), Indigenous, Traditional and Non-State Transitional Justice in Southern Africa: Zimbabwe and Namibia, Lexington Books, New York, 2019.

Eppel, Shari: “The Heroic and the Hidden Dead: Zimbabwe and Exhumations”: in Groen, W.J. Mike, Nicholas Marquez-Grant, Robert C. Janaway (Eds), Forensic Archaeology: A Global Perspective, Wiley Blackwell, Netherlands, 2015.

Eppel, Shari: “‘Bones in the Forest’ in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe: exhumations as a tool to transformation”, International Journal of Transitional Justice, September 2014.

Eppel, Shari: “The silencing of the bones” Zimbabwe Update No 2: Solidarity Peace Trust, March 2011.

Can be accessed at: http://www.solidaritypeacetrust.org/author/shariep/

Eppel, Shari: “Healing the dead: exhumation and reburial as a route to truth telling and peace building in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe”: in Borer, Tristan Ann (editor) Telling the Truths: Truth telling and peace building in post conflict societies, Joan B Kroc Peace Institute, Notre Dame University Press, 2004. Can be accessed via http://www.solidaritypeacetrust.org/488/healing-the-dead/

Eppel, Shari: “Reburial Ceremonies for Health and Healing after State Terror”: in The Lancet, Vol 360 (issue 9336), 14th September, 2002.

LawPod host Maddy Kowalenko discusses the intricate relationship between sport and the law with Professor Jack Anderson.

A distinguished scholar in sports law, Professor Anderson explores topics such as safeguarding athletes, financial sustainability in professional sports, the rise of esports, gender equity, doping, and the integration of AI. Key legal issues discussed include match-fixing, proper concussion protocols, gender inclusion in sports governance, and the evolving framework for women's sports. This episode gives listeners a deep dive into the complex legal ecosystem surrounding the world of sports.

This podcast is the first in a series of episode on Civilian Harm in Conflict - hosted by Mae Thompson, advocacy officer at Ceasefire. The podcast is an output of the AHRC funded 'Reparations during Armed Conflict' project with Queen's University Belfast, University College London and Ceasefire, led by Professor Luke Moffett.

Mark Lattimer, Executive Director of Ceasefire joins the podcast. Ceasefire have written a number of reports on civilian harm, in particular on the case for the UK to adopt a reparation scheme for overseas military operations and more recently on arbitrary detention in Ukraine.  

Professor Fionnuala ní Aólain has written extensively on the issue of counter-terrorism and in one of her final reports as UN Special Rapporteur highlighted the impact of new technologies on civilians.

Professor Luke Moffett has called for a harm based approach to reparations in the midst of ongoing hostilities, such as in Ukraine.

Our colleagues on the CIVCOM project have written this