Negotiating sustainable peace in the horn of Africa: a critical analysis of DDR in Northern Uganda
Abstract
The concept of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) has rapidly
spread into the development and security discourse and has over the years come to
playa critical role in the promotion of peace processes after conflicts. Effective and
successful implementation of DDR is recognized as being exceedingly vital to
building and ensuring sustainable peace in post conflict societies and virtually all the
countries in the greater Horn have featured such activities. Due to the absence of an
official DDR programme in Northern Uganda DDR is undertaken within the context
of the Amnesty Act that was put in place as a renewable measure to encourage rebels
to leave the insurgency without fear of prosecution. The study's main objective is to
examine the process of DDR under the Amnesty Act and determine to what extent it
has contributed to sustainable peace in Northern Uganda. The study tests if there is
any significant difference between DDR as part of a negotiated peace agreement and
informal DDR in contributing to sustainable peace. The study reveals that though
marred with numerous challenges the Amnesty Commission has done a commendable
job in demobilizing and reintegrating LRA reporters and the study concludes that
despite the numerous challenges the rather informal DDR in Northern Uganda has
contributed to peace in the region.
Citation
Degree Master of Arts In International Conflict Management,Publisher
University of Nairobi,