Home From the War: Re-integrating Ex-Combatants
One of the most difficult challenges facing governments, communities and families in the aftermath of civil or international conflict is re-integrating soldiers into civilian life. This program highlights the most successful of these re-integration initiatives as identified by leading practitioners in the field and will examine what has made them successful when so many have failed. Funded by the Compton Foundation.
Guests:
Larry Attree, Senior Program Officer, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations; US Institute of Peace
Vanessa Farr, United Nations Development Programme: Crisis Prevention and Recovery
Beth Cole, Senior Program Officer, Center for Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations; US Institute of Peace
Klubosumo Johnson Borh, National Program Coordinator for National Ex-Combatant Peacebuilding Initiative of Liberia
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Questions for Further Discussion
“Home From the War: Reintegrating Ex-Combatants”
Learning Goal: To explore the process of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Learning Methods: Assign one or more of the following questions to students individually, in pairs, or in small groups for discussion. Consider asking them to present their findings to the class in a short presentation, project or research assignment.
Terms: Peacekeeping Peacebuilding Rehabilitation
PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reconciliation
1. “Home from the War” and Larry Attree argue that rehabilitation must occur on a holistic level individually, communally, and globally. What does this mean to you? What are examples of programs that could address each of these levels? What are the issues and challenges involved in this three step approach?
2. According to UNDP Social Development and Gender Advisor Vanessa Farr, the psychological and emotional needs of former combatants have generally not been treated effectively following conflict or war. What has been done to address issues such as PTSD and post-conflict trauma? What could be done and who is responsible for such treatment? What kind of impacts, if any, might neglecting this kind of treatment have on the individual, community, and perhaps global landscape?
3. Further exploring the psychological and emotional wounds of former combatants, consider the gender divide between combatants themselves. Vanessa Farr indicates that within some communities, there have historically been “healing ceremonies” for traditional male soldiers, but with the changing landscape of conflict and war that now includes civilians, women, and children, parallel ceremonies don’t appear to be emerging. What impact do you think this has on a community’s healing processes? What would need to happen in order to foster a return to traditional community healing processes?
4. One of the issues involved in healing individuals and a community following war is that of reconciliation. Vanessa Farr gives us an example of a woman who was raped by a group of men during the war, who she now sits beside in political office. How can communities foster both justice and reconciliation under such circumstances? If reconciliation involves the perpetrators being brought to justice, what effect does that have on efforts for reconciliation and peace?
5. Vanessa Farr raises a question of resource allocation when she asks, “If people are going to war because there’s a lack of water, or people are going to war because there’s not enough oil in the world, wouldn’t it be better…to be investing our money in technologies that are going to lessen our reliance on oil? And couldn’t you look at those actually as long term peace strategies…?” Should access to resources become a central theme in peace building work across the globe? Are there any examples of successful conflict prevention by increasing equitable access to resources for all?
6. Beth Cole of the United States Institute of Peace suggests that post-conflict regions can became magnets for criminal syndicates, drug and arms smugglers and organized terrorist cells that continue to threaten the region and beyond. As a result, it often becomes the job of the international community to aid these emergent governments in creating or recreating an infrastructure of good governance that discourages and prevents such activity. How can other nations intervene in such circumstances without compromising or threatening the sovereignty of the emergent nation?
7. Beth Cole poses the question of whether developing a region leads to stability, or whether ensuring stability within a region leads to development. Which approach do you believe is more effective in helping a nation rebuild after conflict? What are the challenges of development in a post-conflict zone and conversely, what are the implications of international development agencies attempting to intervene before a conflict? Cite examples.
Innovation in Action: Additional Assignments
1. Research healing ceremonies and programs that are currently used in war torn regions. How are these traditional ceremonies being adapted for child soldiers, women, children and the whole community that suffers in most wars today? Which seem most effective and why?
2. Read Ishmeal Beah’s A Long Way Gone and Irma Specht’s Red Shoes: Experiences of Girl Combatants in Liberia and discuss the personal stories and struggles with reintegration following children’s time as soldiers. How does Ishmael’s experience differ from that of a female’s experience? What vision might we create for individual and communal healing ceremonies that include all former combatants regardless of age or sex?
3. Research a region that is recovering from war. What must be accomplished in terms of rebuilding infrastructure economically and socially? What people, organizations, and aid programs are working in this area and why? What are the goals of these groups? Are they in line with the needs and visions of people in the regions they serve? Are local people seen as victims or capable partners and leaders that have their own vision for reconstruction? Discuss how the values of outside, international interveners might be different from local people, as well as where there might be overlap.
4. Design a rehabilitation plan that addresses the psychological needs of individuals and communities in a post-conflict region. What might you consider in designing this plan? What approaches might be taken in terms of trauma healing and recovery? What challenges might be faced in instituting these plans?
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