Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants in Ethiopia: The Case of Gumuz Peoples Democratic Movement (Gpdm) Armed Group
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Date
2022-12
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Addis Ababa University,
Abstract
Ethiopia has a long history of numerous armed conflicts that include civil war in different
periods. To stabilize the conflict situation, the country introduced several Disarmament,
Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program under the contexts of both post-conflict
and on-going conflict in different times. This thesis studies the 2021 DDR process of Gumuz
People Democratic Movement (GPDM) armed group that was implemented in Benishangul
Gumuz region of Ethiopia under the context of an on-going conflict situation; this makes it
distinct from former researches of Ethiopian DDR experience that were conducted under the
context of post-conflict situations. Thus, profile of GPDM armed group and its position for
armed struggle, involved actors, negotiation and implementation of the 2021 DDR of GPDM
analysed and addressed throughout this thesis. Furthermore, by analyzing the overall DDR
process, this thesis identifies the major challenges of the program. A qualitative research
design method with case study approach was used during the course of this research. Data
collected from both primary and secondary data sources. Accordingly, thirty-seven key
informants participated in both in-depth interview and focus group discussions. The finding
of the study revealed that, the overall 2021 DDR of GPDM failed to attain its primary goal
and led to remobilization and re-introduction of 2022 DDR program of the armed group. All
the three phases of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration failed to attain their goal.
The program planned to incorporate 4500 ex-combatants, while it targeted and demobilized
3200. Only 2.67% ex-combatabts reintegrated from original planed number, while 3.75% ex combatants reintegrated among those who were actually approached. In addition, the study
distinguished several major challenges that contributed to its failure. Those are lack of
commitment to the peaceful means, lack of inclusiveness, lack of trust, lack of national and
local coordination, conflict entrepreneurs, characteristics of ex-combatants, on-going
conflict, and external factors.
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Keywords
Benishangul Gumuz Region, GPDM, DDR, Ex-Combatant