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1,466 documents from Institute for Security Studies
Violence, Reconciliation and Identity: The Reintegration of the Lord`s Resistance Army Child Abductees in Northern Uganda
The document is a table of contents and metadata for a monograph titled 'Violence, Reconciliation and Identity: The Reintegration of the Lord`s Resistance Army Child Abductees in Northern Uganda'. It outlines a structure that covers the involvement of children in African conflicts, the specific experiences of child soldiers in Northern Uganda, processes of reintegration and reconciliation, and a politico-economic analysis of the situation.
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Document type: Report
The Landmine Factor in the Peacekeeping Debate in Africa
The document argues that the deployment of peacekeeping forces in Africa must account for the widespread presence of anti-personnel landmines. It discusses the development of the African Stand-by Force and the role of the Ottawa Convention in banning landmines, highlighting the specific challenges in the SADC region and South Africa's legislative efforts to criminalise landmine possession and production.
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Document type: Research paper
Coup d’état in São Tomé e Príncipe
The document analyzes the July 2003 coup in São Tomé e Príncipe, arguing that while potential oil wealth increased international interest and influenced timing, the primary drivers were the demands of the Christian Democratic Front (FDC)—composed largely of former Buffalo Battalion soldiers seeking compensation—and the grievances of the military over poor living conditions. The coup was bloodless and ended through international mediation led by the CPLP, AU, and Nigeria, resulting in a Memorandum of Understanding that reinstated President Fradique de Menezes and provided amnesty to the conspirators.
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Document type: Research paper
Liberating Liberia
The document analyzes the collapse of Charles Taylor's regime in Liberia in August 2003, attributing it to internal decay, rebel offensives by LURD and MODEL, and international pressure. It details the humanitarian crisis in Monrovia, the role of US and West African peacekeepers, and the critical need for successful disarmament and demobilization of child soldiers to ensure lasting peace.
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Document type: Research paper
Diversion in South Africa
The document examines the evolution of diversion in South Africa, moving from disjointed, discretionary practices in the 1990s toward a regulated system under the Child Justice Bill. It details the Bill's mechanisms for expanding diversion, such as compulsory assessments and preliminary inquiries, and categorizes diversion options into three levels based on offence severity. The paper also analyzes the role of the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) as a primary provider and presents cost-benefit analyses suggesting that increased diversion spending would lead to overall government savings by reducing child detention. Evaluation studies of specific programmes like SAYStOP and DIME generally show positive outcomes in reducing recidivism and improving child well-being.
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Document type: Research paper
Burundi: Critical challenges to the peace process
The peace process in Burundi remained deadlocked in September 2003 despite multiple regional summits. The impasse centers on the CNDD-FDD's refusal to recognize the Arusha Accord and the TGoB's insistence on maintaining the existing political balance. Key points of contention include the division of power—specifically the demand for a Second Vice-President post—and the reform of the armed forces, including the abolition of the gendarmerie and the control of military zones. Regional mediators from South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania have pursued differing strategies, ranging from military intervention to diplomatic compromise, but have failed to secure a final agreement.
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Document type: Report
Disarming Children and Youth: Raising Awareness and Addressing the Impact of Small Arms
The document provides a comprehensive action plan to address the involvement of children and youth with small arms and light weapons (SALW). It details strategies across several pillars: the disarmament and reintegration of child combatants to prevent rearmament, the prevention of recruitment under international protocols, and the mainstreaming of child-related arms issues into policy and practice. The framework emphasizes the need for vocational training, psychosocial care, and the integration of non-violence curricula in schools. It also advocates for youth engagement through mediation skills and the establishment of youth-to-youth networks, alongside long-term research into reintegration patterns for refugees and internally displaced persons.
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Document type: Report
Liberia: Peace at last?
The document examines the fragile peace process in Liberia after the departure of President Charles Taylor to Nigeria on August 11, 2003. It details the roles of the caretaker government under Moses Blah, the rebel groups LURD and MODEL, and the security provided by ECOMIL forces. The report highlights significant humanitarian crises, including hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and the widespread use of child soldiers. It identifies critical risks to the peace pact, such as the potential for renewed fighting if power is not handed over to Gyude Bryant by October 14, the continued influence of Taylor from exile, and a security gap created by the departure of US forces before a UN stabilization force can be deployed.
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Document type: Report
Botswana: Future Prospects and the Need for Broad-based Development
Botswana has achieved remarkable GDP growth and high credit ratings due to diamond exploitation and sound macroeconomic policies. However, this growth has not translated into broad-based development, as evidenced by a declining Human Development Index (HDI) and high income inequality. The country faces severe challenges from the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which threatens to undermine decades of development, and a lack of economic diversification beyond the mining sector.
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Document type: Report
South Africa’s Defence Industry
The document traces the South African defence industry's shift from a state-driven system designed for apartheid-era isolation to a competitive global actor. Following the end of the Cold War and the transition to democracy in 1994, the industry underwent significant downsizing and restructuring, moving away from total self-sufficiency toward strategic partnerships and export-led growth. Key entities like Armscor and Denel were reorganized to separate procurement from manufacturing, while the private sector consolidated. The paper highlights the role of the Strategic Defence Packages (SDPs) and Industrial Participation (IP) in revitalizing the sector, alongside the challenges of implementing black economic empowerment and aligning industrial policy with regional foreign policy goals.
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Document type: Research paper
Offsetting the Costs of SA’s Strategic Defence Package
The document examines the industrial offset mechanisms used to mitigate the costs of South Africa's $3.9 billion Strategic Defence Package (SDP). It details the regulatory frameworks of the NIPP and DIP, the specific obligations signed with international contractors, and the progress made in generating economic credits through local investment, technology transfer, and export promotion as of March 2003.
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Document type: Research paper
Swaziland: The King’s Constitution
The report examines the draft constitution unveiled by King Mswati III on 31 May 2003. It concludes that the document preserves the monarchy's absolute power, as the King remains the head of the executive and retains the authority to appoint the prime minister, cabinet, and judges. While the draft removes the King's power to rule by decree and improves the legal status of women, children, and the disabled, it remains silent on the status of political parties, which have been banned since 1973. The author highlights a persistent crisis in the rule of law, citing executive interference in the judiciary and the rejection of the draft by pro-democracy movements such as the Swaziland Democratic Alliance.
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Document type: Report
Gripes or Grievances? What the Independent Complaints Directorate statistics tell us (or not)
The research paper argues that statistics from the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) are not reliable indicators of overall police brutality in South Africa. While the ICD was established to deter human rights abuses by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the majority of its cases consist of public dissatisfaction with policing services rather than reports of brutality. The author notes that victims of non-fatal police violence are underrepresented in ICD data due to factors such as poverty, marginalization, and police intimidation. Furthermore, significant provincial discrepancies exist, with some offices, such as KwaZulu-Natal, recording far fewer assaults than independent pilot projects in the same region.
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Document type: Research paper
Sudan - Interview on the Prospects for Sustainable Peace with the Leader of the Opposition Umma Party, Al-Sadig al-Mahdi
The document details an interview with Al-Sadig al-Mahdi, who argues that the bilateral peace talks between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/A are insufficient. He advocates for an 'IGAD Plus' approach that incorporates 'new forces'—including marginalized minorities and armed resistance in Darfur—and a transition to a religiously neutral, democratic constitution. Al-Mahdi proposes a strategic alliance between the Umma Party and the SPLM/A to ensure a united, democratic Sudan, while criticizing the National Islamic Front (NIF) and the historical role of the US in supporting regional dictatorships.
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Document type: Briefing
Burundi: Fragile Communities Shattered by Years of War
As of April 2003, Burundi faced a severe humanitarian crisis characterized by massive internal displacement, food insecurity due to drought, and a fragmented political transition. An estimated 300,000 people had died since 1993, and over 500,000 were internally displaced. The document highlights that international aid remains limited because donors are withholding support until a comprehensive ceasefire and the Arusha agreement reforms are implemented. High population density and land scarcity further complicate the potential return of over 840,000 refugees, primarily located in Tanzania. The report concludes that humanitarian conditions will not improve until the government ends impunity and protects civilians, and until political elites prioritize peace over power struggles.
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Document type: Briefing
Peace and Security through Good Governance
The document analyzes the NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), detailing its five-stage review process, its organizational structure involving the APR Forum and Panel of Eminent Persons, and its complex relationship with the African Union. It highlights the tension between political governance review and economic governance, the role of partner institutions like the UNECA and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the challenges of financing and institutional capacity in ensuring the mechanism's efficacy.
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Document type: Research paper
Sustaining the Peace in Angola: An Overview of Current Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration
The document is a monograph that examines the current state, institutional capabilities, and challenges of demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DD&R) in Angola, including lessons from previous processes and policies implemented in 2002.
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Document type: Report
Madagascar: Stumbling at the first hurdle?
The document details the 2001-2003 political crisis in Madagascar, triggered by a disputed presidential election between incumbent Didier Ratsiraka and challenger Marc Ravalomanana. It describes the resulting institutional collapse, the failure of multiple mediation attempts in Dakar, and the eventual consolidation of power by Ravalomanana despite initial resistance from the African Union.
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Document type: Research paper
SITUATION REPORT: SUDAN AND HER NEIGHBOURS
This research paper by David H. Shinn analyzes Sudan's strategic position in Africa, focusing on its internal civil war, the economic impact of oil, and its complex bilateral relations with its nine neighboring countries as of March 2003.
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Document type: Research paper
Exploring Small Arms Demand
The paper argues that small arms demand among African youth is driven by a combination of social, economic, and political exclusion. It contends that current international policies focus too heavily on the supply side of arms proliferation, neglecting the 'demand triggers' such as poverty, state failure, and the destruction of social infrastructures. By analyzing contexts ranging from child soldiering in Sierra Leone and Uganda to urban gang violence in South Africa and militia recruitment in Somalia, the authors demonstrate how the absence of basic rights and services transforms weapons into tools for survival, identity, and empowerment.
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Document type: Research paper