Sustaining the peace in Angola: An overview of current demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration

Demilitarisation of conflict and society is crucial to building sustainable peace in countries emerging from the scourge of civil war. As long standing conflicts come to an end, a variety of approaches are adopted by international agencies and national governments aimed at supporting process that facilitate this potentially volatile transition from formal peace to social peace. At the heart of the exercise is the necessity of transforming the instruments of war and in particular combatants themselves from soldiers to citizens as well as ridding the wider society of armaments. Thus the process of demilitarization involves not only a political commitment from the leadership to end hostilities but, if it is to lead to sustained peace, a deeper commitment at a social level amongst individuals (perpetrators of conflict) and communities (supporters or victims of conflict) to move beyond the identities and emblems which serve to perpetuate hostilities. The emergence of a new social contract in post conflict societies is a vital step towards to re-legitimizing the institutions of governance through democratic elections. However, demilitarization and democratization are only possible when constituent elements of society are able to function fully as citizens. Ex-soldiers and their families, while numerically small relative to other vulnerable groups such as IDPs, are not only potentially disruptive elements in the aftermath of war but their reintegration back into society can serve as a litmus test of degree of perpetuate hostilities. The emergence of a new social contract in post-conflict societies is a vital step towards to re-legitimising the institutions of governance through democratic elections. However, demilitarisation and democratization are only possible when constituent elements of society are able to function fully as citizens. Ex-soldiers and their families, while numerically small relative to other vulnerable groups such as IDP, are not only potentially disruptive elements in the aftermath of degree of reconciliation in a post-conflict situation. Social acceptance and economic activity form part of the basis for this reconciliation but these factors must be a accompanied by some form of political participation for reintegration to be considered complete. The sublimation of the instinctive resort to arms when conflict rears its head and its substitution by the ‘cut and thrust’ of parliamentary debate and judicial appeals is the key indicator that a democratic peace has been achieved.