CPAU CMI PRIO

1
CPAU / CMI / PRIO

• Joint Research Project
• Armed Groups and Peace Processes
• Afghanistan
• 2005

2
CONTENT

• METHODOLOGY
• KEY FINDINGS
• CONCLUSION

3
METHODOLOGY Continued..

• Areas of Research
• Districts 9
• Provinces 5
• Focus of Research
• Former Combatants 89
• Former Commanders 26
• Community Council/ Shura 23
• Local Administration 24
• Women/ Women Groups 37

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METHODOLOGY

• Questionnaire
• General Information
• Opinion about the Peace Process
• Opinion about the DDR Process
• Opinion about Commanders
• Opinion about Community Councils
• Opinion about Renewed Fighting

5
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• 1. General Information
• Literacy/Employment
• Illiterate Unemployed
• Combatants 44 Out of 89 25 Out of 89
• Commanders 8 Out of 26 13 Out of 26

6
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Relationship
• Jehad/Defending the country from invasion
• Ethnic relation
• Fear from Commander/Forced recruitment
• Political affiliation/association not mentioned
  at all

7
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Reasons for Joining the Armed Groups
• Soviet Invasion/Jehad/Defending the country
• Security threats
• Religious rights/Human rights
• Ethnic Tension
• Political parties/Forced recruitment
• Immigration
• Personal enmity
• Escaping military services
• Taliban
• Military life/robbery/money

8
KEY FINDINGS Continued.

• 2. Opinion about the Peace Process
• Just/Unjust
• Unjust Dont Know
• Combatants 44 Out of 89 3 Out of 89
• Commanders 18 Out of 26
• Local Councils 14 Out of 23 1 Out of 23
• Local Authority 7 Out of 24
• Women 14 Out of 37 2 Out of 37

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KEY FINDINGS Continued.

• Constitution
• Familiar Not Familiar
• Combatants 62 27
• Commanders 6 20
• Local Council 16 7
• Local Authority 18 6
• Women 14 23

10
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Elections
• Participated
• Combatants 75 Out of 89
• Commanders 25 Out of 26

11
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Influence on development processes
• Hold Influence Dont Hold Influence
• Combatants 65 24
• Commanders 24 2
• Local Council There is influence but not very
  much
• Local Authority There is influence
• Women Very little influence

12
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• 3. Opinion about the DDR Process
• Objectives of DDR Process
• Improve security and promote peace
• Encouraging to civil services/Civilians life
• Justice, Law and order, Reconstruction,
  Development, Freedom
• Reintegration of armed people (Only local
  authorities)
• Distancing Commanders from their armies
• Reducing the power of the people
• Reduce the power of the country, to become
  others slaves
• Hidden agendas
• Foreign forces to legitimize their presence and
  earn money
• Reduce the influence of warlords

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KEY FINDINGS Continued.

• Selection of DDR Participants
• Just Unjust
• Combatants 43 46
• Commanders 13 13
• Local Council Mixed views, but majority said not
  just
• Local Authority Mixed views
• Women Mixed views, but majority said not just

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KEY FINDINGS Continued.

• Commanders Influence
• Reduced Not Reduced Little Reduced
• Combatants 53 26 10
• Commanders 17 5 4
• Local Council The DDR had a minimum effect
• Local Authority The DDR had a maximum effect
• Women Mixed Views

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KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Security
• Improved Not Improved Little Improved
• Combatants 64 11 14
• Commanders 21 5
• Local Council Security has improved but not in
  all places
• Local Authority Government control is still very
  limited
• Women Considerably improved

16
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Benefits from DDR Process
• Benefited Not Benefited
• Combatants 24 65
• Commanders 10 16

17
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• How DDR could have been done in a better way?
• Based on employment opportunities not cash
  handouts
• Involvement of religious leaders, women and local
  people
• Skills, Job Security, Alternative Livelihoods,
  Shelter and Money
• Purchase of weapons
• A proper mechanism to ensure justice in the
  process
• Direct payment to combatants not through their
  Commanders
• Conduct survey prior to the DDR process
• People to be equally DDRd (no discrimination in
  the process)
• It requires firmness of the Government

18
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• 4. Opinion about Commanders
• Changes in the role of Commanders, After Mr.
  Karzai
• Power of the Commanders has reduced
• Mr. Karzais Government supports the Commanders
• The power of rich and powerful Commanders
  increased
• Commanders are holding high posts in the
  Government
• Links with the International Mafia strengthened
• Commanders were given legal authority

19
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Local Community Influence Over Commanders
• Local community holds influence over Commanders
• No or little influence over those Commanders who
  occupy key government posts
• Forced recruitment by Commanders has reduced or
  stopped
• People can have a say mostly because of the
  ethnic connections to the commanders
• No or little influence because Commanders have
  been legitimized during the current process
• Local people hold influence through their
  Shuras/Community Councils

20
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Government Influence Over Commanders
• Not over all Commanders
• Compromise/Dealings between Government and
  Commanders
• Government has employed Commanders in key posts
• Corruptions in government limits the influence
  over Commanders
• Commanders are involved in drug and the
  government can not stop them
• Commanders are not being governed under the rule
  of law
• There is still culture of impunity
• There is some influence through international
  forces

21
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Opinion About Community
• Who Are Called For Problem Solving
• Community council, Community elders, Religious
  leaders
• Influential Individuals, Teachers
• District and Provincial Administration
• Peace Councils

22
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• How Can People Have Influence In Development?
• Peoples participation and involvement
• Womens participation
• Awareness raising/Education/Capacity Building
• Government to support local Shuras/Local Councils
• Encourage creation of democratic Shuras/Capacity
  Building
• Improvement of security and promotion of peace
• The decision makers should share their plans and
  decisions with the people so people feel
  ownership
• Basic needs of people to be met
• Reduce ethnic tensions/trust building
• Corruption to be stopped and people confidence to
  be maintained

23
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Opinion on Renewed Fighting
• Going back to Fighting
• Going Back Not Going Back
• Combatants 39 50
• Commanders 15 11
• Local Council Yes, there are people who may
  consider going back
• Local Authority Yes, the conditions have not
  improved
• Women Yes, because of lack of job opportunities

24
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• Consultation Before Going back to Fighting
• Community elders, Religious leaders, Community
  Councils
• Parents, Family Members, Friends
• Self, no need for consultation, depends on the
  situation

25
KEY FINDINGS Continued

• International Security Forces and Security
• Improve Reduce Little
• Combatants 71 17 1
• Commanders 23 3
• Local Council Yes, but promote their own
  interests
• Local Authority Yes, but they have also committed
  atrocities. It is sensitive issue to have
  foreign troops in the country
• Women Mixed views.

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KEY FINDINGS

• Major Threats to Permanent Peace
• Foreign invasion, International Terrorism,
  Insecurity
• Injustice, Corruption, Discrimination, Lack of
  Job Opportunities/Poverty
• Lack of Education, Prejudices
• Lack of Participation
• Lack of trust
• Presence and supply of Arms
• Dishonoring peoples culture
• Double standard policies

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CONCLUSION Continued

• Significant number of Ex-combatants and
  Ex-commanders were unemployed after DDR process.
• Violation of rights at the peoples end can
  easily stir conflicts and wars.
• The peace processes under way have not created
  justice and equality.
• There is very limited knowledge and understanding
  about the new Constitution at different levels.
• The major factor for participation in the
  elections was previous connections and ties.
• The objectives of DDR for improvement of the
  security were clear but there was ambiguity at
  the reintegration side.

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CONCLUSION

• The DDR process was not perceived to be just.
• Significant number of DDRd people seems not
  benefited from the process.
• In order to solve the problem, people refer to
  the community Shuras and community elder,
  therefore, their role must be strengthened.
• Before going back to fight, people consult
  community Shuras, religious leader, elders and
  family members. Therefore, peacebuilding issues
  needs to be considered for such groups.