Tools for » PROMOTE RECONCILIATION AND COEXISTENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN DARFUR
Project ID: 00097493 Description: RECONCILIATION & COEXISTENCE
Start Date *: 17 Dec 2015
Governance Justice & Reconcil.
End Date*: 30 Jun 2019
Country: Sudan Project Status: Operationally Closed
Lead Agency: UNDP (with UN Women, UNAMID)
Pillar 1: Governance, Justice and Reconciliation
Community level reconciliation, peaceful co-existence and economic empowerment in areas of return supported through the construction and operationalisation of Peace, Justice and Reconciliation Centres (PJRC);
Accessibility and effectiveness of Rule of Law (RoL) Institutions improved at community and locality level assisted through construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure;
Institutionalised linkages between the regional Darfur Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) and the community reconciliation mechanisms (Native Administration, Ajaweed) are established to promote community level reconciliation and social cohesion.
Introduction & Problem Statement:
Insecurity continues to be the key challenge facing Darfur. DDR and Small Arms Control constitute a critical component of the peace process and are both considered an urgent priority for progress on the security arrangement in Darfur, as outlined in the DDPD and highlighted in the DDS FaST activities. The critical role of DDR in the peace process was further acknowledged by the leaders of Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) and Justice and Equity Movement (JEM) -Bashar during meetings with President Bashir in December 2013 and January 2014, in which the faction leaders proposed an immediate start of the DDR process to prevent some of their fighters from re-joining other armed groups that are not signatories to the DDPD, thus jeopardising the gains so far made since the signing of the document in 2011. Given the apprehension shown by some movements in refusing to join the DDPD, it is imperative that some tangible 'peace dividends' be provided to the LJM and JEM-Bashar fighters. The absorption of a selected proportion of LJM combatants into the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Police was successfully completed at the end of 2014.
Unlike the DDR process designed to disarm, collect, stockpile or destroy heavy weapons from combatants in a more formal way, a critical challenge in Darfur is addressing the pervasive insecurity caused by the proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons (SALW) in rural communities. The seriousness of the SALW problem is underscored in a recent UN Secretary General's Report on Darfur (February, 2014) which among others highlighted the recent intensification of intra-communal violence caused by the increased proliferation of small arms in the region. Also the DJAM and DDS documents characterized small arms as the key impediment to peace and stability. The stating, inter alia, that the "most critical challenge in Darfur is how to re-establish the control of small arms and light weapons while concurrently building a sense of trust and confidence between the population and the authorities, as well as between and within the communities".
This Project is targeting, in part, the reintegration of the remaining demobilized ex-combatants of the LJM who were not absorbed into the SAF and Sudan Police Forces and need to be settled in the civilian
community as rapidly as possible to avoid the possible re-recruitment into the non-signatory movements. The Project also addresses the immediate needs of small-arms registration and control, at the community level, a vital component of peace and security in Darfur.
The Project is designed to build the foundations for an expanded and more inclusive DDR and SALW programme that will contribute to sustainable peace and stability in Darfur. The SALW work is specifically community based and is complementary to the FaST Project 4: Security Sector Reform, which reviews and strengthens the government regulatory side of this issue.
The Project will be active in all five states of Darfur. The DDR locations will be contingent on 1) disarmament and demobilization sites to be decided by UNAMID, Cease Fire Committee (CFC) and Military factions; and 2) choices of where demobilized fighters would reside. The latter will be verified during the information, counselling and referral process during demobilization of the fighters.
Implementing Partners:
The Project has been prepared through extensive consultations and participation of Government partners and will be implemented by UNDP, UNAMID, UN Women and UNFPA in close coordination and partnership with Sudan DDR Commission, relevant Darfur States authorities, other UN Agencies and DRA.
If you have questions about this programme you may wish to contact the RC office in Sudan or the lead agency for the programme. The MPTF Office Portfolio Manager (or Country Director with Delegation of Authority) for this programme: