From combatant to civilian : The social reintegration of ex-combatants in Rwanda and the implications for social capital and reconciliation

In the reconstruction of war-tom societies, the successful reintegration of combatants
into the post-conflict environment is recognised to be a vital component in the
peacebuilding effort. In order to achieve and sustain such reintegration Disarmament,
Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programmes are implemented. DDR
literature advocates the importance of economic reintegration due to the fact it provides
a focus for ex-combatants and thus the possibility of a secure environment. However,
as DDR is studied in greater detail, the limitations of such a narrow focus are becoming
apparent. Moreover, the identified need for the effective social reintegration of excombatants
is becoming an increasingly more salient issue; particularly when
considering the reconciliation of war-affected communities. Nevertheless, whilst the
importance of social reintegration may have been recognised, understanding as to the
ways in which ex-combatants socially reintegrate, and the effects such reintegration
may have on the reconciliation process and the general peacebuilding effort, is in its
relevant infancy.
This research, through fieldwork involving the life history analysis of 50 ex-combatants
and 22 civilians, along with ethnographic studies of four rural communities and 26 elite
interviews with policy makers/implementers, sought to investigate this hiatus within the
context of Rwanda. Specifically, it examined the obstacles faced by ex-combatants in
their social reintegration and the mechanisms through which ex-combatants are
successful in their endeavours. It then progressed to an elaborate consideration of the
effects of the successful social reintegration of ex-combatants on the reconciliation
process within the peacebuilding environment. It does this by applying the c~ncept of
social capital as a bridge between ex-combatant social reintegration and reconciliation.
The findings from this research identify a number of significant elements that are
crucial to the social reintegration of ex-combatants. Additionally, the thesis delineates
the importance of such reintegration for the reconciliation and peacebuilding process
and thus signifies the need for a significant reconsideration of the way in which DDR
programmes are designed and implemented.