DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES De-radicalization & Disarmament Major Thomas Galasz Nielsen

DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES Lessons learned Public information of both ex- combatants and civilians are important. Community participation is key to successful planning and implementation of a DDR programme.

Tactical level DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES D-D-R or R-D-D?  Argument: A concentration on the R could help the ex-combatants on with their civilian lives and foster the creation of a peace-based economy.  But warlords and commanders could have manifested their power and criminal activities further and in turn offered a better pay to the soldiers who wanted to stay.

Effective public information DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES Problems  Communication to the public in general.  And secondly to the individual soldiers. Spoilers  Stalling the process and collecting extra salaries.  Commanders do not inform soldiers on low practical issues.

Community participation DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES In the first two phases of the program, local participation was taken into consideration and succeeded. ANBP did not estimate the possibility of structuring the program as a weapons-for- development or community based program.

Conclusion  First, the importance of public information of both ex-combatants and civilians, and that the inclusion of media assessments into the overall evidence-based planning of the DDR programme.  Second, the community participation is often the key to successful planning and implementation of a DDR programme. DIIS ∙ DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES