Details for Golden Surrender? The Risks, Challenges, and Implications of Reintegration in Afghanistan
| Name: | Golden Surrender? The Risks, Challenges, and Implications of Reintegration in Afghanistan |
| Description: |
Publication Date:2010 Relevance: This paper tackles the issue of reintegration in Afghanistan. It covers initiatives including the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) and Peace Through Strength, as well as reviewing how reintegration fits into current political and military strategy. There are strong links between reintegration and reconciliation in Afghanistan, although the focus of this paper is the former. It will be particularly useful for policy makers and practitioners working on these issues in Afghanistan, or seeking to understand the dynamics of the insurgency better. Key Issues: This paper explores the obstacles to a successful reintegration programme in Afghanistan. It argues that the current approach is flawed since the economic/financial incentives that are on offer to stop people from joining the insurgency do not address the range of other reasons why people take up weapons, including disempowerment, frustration at abuse and corruption, and feuds. Moreover, while a well-executed reintegration scheme could have positive benefits and help to weaken the insurgency, if mishandled it could do the reverse. There is the risk of attacks on reintegration projects, which could lead to NGOs and staff withdrawing; as well as the possibility of exacerbating of local rivalries and conflicts. Genuine reconciliation could be undermined as reintegration is seen by some as an attempt to weaken and divide the Taliban, not to engage substantively with them. Finally, there could be unintended consequences. For instance, reports of billions of dollars being available could even enhance insurgent recruitment, and corruption could increase as a result of misappropriation of funds. Finally, the paper argues that the focus on reintegration risks distracting attention from the root causes of the conflict, dealing with the symptoms but not the cause. Read Full Text Here: http://aan-afghanistan.com/uploads/2010_AAN_Golden_Surrender.pdf |
