Disarmament, demobilization, reinsertion and reintegration (DDR) activities have played an increasing role in peacekeeping and the post-conflict reconstruction process.
Economic dimensions of DDR Sometimes employment has been the main sites of contestation in post-conflict environments. However, most ex-combatants lacked the qualifications to take advantage of priority employment in the civil service. The ex-combatants that did enter the work force used violence and intimidation to empower themselves, causing the state to retreat from their initial support. In general, ex-combatants are offered economic incentives such as labor, land, credit, information, and skills development to prevent them from being disenfranchised from the peace process. In all cases, the actual economic reintegration varies according to the sector of activity chosen and its performance in a given economic situation, as well as the level of funding allotted for this stage of the process. These elements need to be carefully studied beforehand.
The interest of warlords and military leaders is often the cornerstone of peace processes. A certain number of military leaders, in particular mid-level commanders, tend to be left out of the incentives structure agreed in a peace agreement. Prominent former commanders have been given enormous economic privileges to convince them to leave violence. At the same time, a fine balance needs to be struck between providing incentives and over-indulging the interests of former commanders, since the latter may lead to feelings of resentment amongst the civilian population, as well as the rest of the regular fighters. Some characteristics of war economies tend to be carried over in post-war environments, such as an informal economy, and sometimes criminalization. The transformation from conflict to peace often threatens to disrupt systems of production and exchange that have provided livelihoods to warlords and their followers during war. In some instances, the beneficiaries of war economies tend to be also the beneficiaries of economic incentives and labor opportunities in post-war environments.
The psychosocial reintegration of ex-combatants Post traumatic stress disorder from combat, often characterized by delayed onset, frequently coincides with unemployment, divorce, homelessness, criminal behavior, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Reintegration tends to focus more on rebuilding a strong economy and stable political conditions, yet the social and psychological aspect of reintegration needs to be also factored into process. Storytelling is an important part of acknowledgement. For societies, traumatic events can be discussed, acknowledged, and mourned within and between communities. It becomes a process not only for the victim, but also for individuals representing the aggressor group. In addition, acknowledgement of the past may also include acknowledging the roles of bystanders, as well as the roles of victims and perpetrators.
Community accountability and ownership Ex-combatants that have committed atrocities have a difficult time returning home to their communities. Their presence may worsen real or perceived vulnerability of local populations, which may neither have the capability or capacity to assist ex-combatants with little education, employment training, war trauma or a highly militarized view of the world. Therefore, reintegration should be based on local communities support and complements a broader national strategic plan for reconciliation, reconstruction and development. It is often easier to conceptualize concrete avenues to deal with these issues at the local level. Therefore expanding the scope of reintegration programs means that the program will not only address ex-combatants within the society but also the community as a whole.
Transitional justice initiatives Whereas DDR seeks to create a stable environment to prevent ex-combatants from reverting back to conflict, transitional justice attempts to overcome the legacy of crime and impunity after conflict. Yet, in some cases, the quest for creating a stable environment has led to a complete neglect in prosecuting war crimes. However, trust and reconciliation are very important parts of the reintegration phase of DDR, as it is considerable harder to achieve without dealing with crimes of atrocity that took place during war.
Security sector reform An important dimension of DDR is its close linkage with security sector reform. This is considered by some to be paramount for long-term peace, stability and development. One common approach is to merge a select number of ex-combatants into the states military or police structures. This approach is often considered to be a pragmatic solution since the hope is that the new civilian structure will minimize problems. In all cases, DDR needs a clear perspective for future internal security,
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