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Sustaining the Peace in Angola. An Overview of Current Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration

Author: J Porto and I Parsons
Date: 2003
Size: 77 pages (47 KB)

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Summary

What is the state of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme in Angola? What recommendations can be given for the current and future re-integration of post-conflict Angola? This paper written for the Institute of Security Studies looks at a DDR process which is the third of its kind in Angola’s history. Demilitarisation of conflict and society is crucial to building peace in countries emerging from civil war. No other post-conflict situation has been host to the complexity of reintegration and the variety of experiences which Angola has witnessed. Yet, social peace still remains an elusive objective.

Overall it seems good intentions have been insufficient to sustain effective implementation of the DDR process:

  • The DDR process as a whole was subject to continuous alterations and backtracking, which had negative effect on the morale and confidence of ex-combatants in camps.
  • Deeply troubling has been the failure to follow up demobilisation with the adoption of social, economic and political reintegration strategies.
  • The different expectations of ex-combatants and internally displaced persons (IDPs) concerning their resettlement and reintegration preferences are likely to increase the tension at local level which may result in an increase in local conflict occurrence.
  • The return and resettlement of IDPs is not proceeding evenly to all areas within the provinces, particularly as regards the observance by the government of the ‘Norms on Resettlement and Return’. Most movements have been spontaneous rather than planned.

DDR is a critical component of sustainable peace in Angola. The government must therefore recognise its own limitations and form partnerships with international NGOs and UN agencies in order to ensure the adequate design and implementation of projects, particularly as regards the reintegration phase in its various dimensions. In addition:

  • An integrated approach should be encouraged in which existing provincial level capabilities are strengthened, but in collaboration with international bodies.
  • Infrastructural improvement needs to take place, or it may become increasingly difficult to carry out projects in remote rural areas.
  • Raising expectations of ex-combatants by the offer of grandiose projects, which have little chance of been implemented, will invariably do more harm than good.

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Source: Porto, J. and Parsons, I., 2003, 'Sustaining the peace in Angola. An overview of current demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration', Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria
Author: Imogen Parsons , i.a.parsons@lse.ac.uk
Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Pretoria, http://www.iss.co.za


 
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