Sudan

Background

Sudan is a nation that encompasses a multitude of regions, ethnic groups and religions. Throughout this expansive nation there are varying conflicts reflected in the diverse nature of the country. The North/South conflict was the longest running civil-war in the region, beginning in the shadows of independence and cumulating in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The recently-ended north-south civil war began in 1983, following the breakdown of the 1972 Addis Ababa agreement. For more than two decades, the Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), the main rebel movement in the south, fought over resources, power, the role of religion in the state, and self-determination. Over two million people died, four million were uprooted and some 600,000 people fled the country as refugees.

Over the years, there were many attempts by neighbouring states, concerned donors, other states and the parties themselves to bring peace. One such effort, begun in 1993, was a regional peace initiative under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The United Nations closely followed and supported the IGAD initiative.

To follow developments in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa, the Secretary-General, in December 1997, appointed Mohamed Sahnoun as his Special Adviser on Africa. Mr. Sahnoun and other senior officials represented the UN at summit meetings of the IGAD countries and undertook consultations with regional governments and organizations in support of the peace process. These officials also participated in meetings of the IGAD-Partners Forum, composed of donor countries and organizations supporting the IGAD peace process and assisting the regional organization to enhance its capacity in several areas. During 2002, the Sudan peace process under the auspices of IGAD made significant progress. On 20 July 2002, the parties to the conflict signed the Machakos Protocol, in which they reached specific agreement on a broad framework, setting forth the principles of governance, the transitional process and the structures of government, as well as on the right to self-determination for the people of South Sudan, and on state and religion. They agreed to continue talks on the outstanding issues of power sharing, wealth sharing, human rights and a ceasefire.

To intensify the peace efforts and build on the momentum of the progress made—including the signing of the Agreement on Wealth Sharing on 7 January 2004 and the Protocol on Power Sharing on 26 May 2004 at the IGAD-led talks—the Security Council established by resolution 1547 of 11 June 2004 a special political mission, the United Nations Advance Mission in the Sudan (UNAMIS) to prepare for the introduction of an envisaged peace support operation.

On 9 January 2005, the Government of the Sudan, represented by Vice-President Ali Osman Taha, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), represented by Chairman John Garang, signed in Nairobi, Kenya, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The CPA included agreements on outstanding issues remaining after the Machakos Protocol and had provisions on security arrangements, power-sharing in the capital of Khartoum, some autonomy for the south, and more equitable distribution of economic resources, including oil.

Situation Analysis
Political-military
After 21 years of civil war, Sudanese society, particularly in the south, is highly militarized. While the north has a regular army, whose members can be assessed, demobilized or downsized in a comparatively orderly manner, the south has an irregular liberation army with little organized structure. The prolonged civil war and the communal nature of south Sudanese life has meant that virtually every male has been involved in the fighting in one way or another. Furthermore, a large number of women have also participated in the war either in a combat role or a support role. All these conditions make it very difficult to determine and quantify the number of combatants to be disarmed, demobilised and reintegrated.

The presence of government-backed militias also makes the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) task more complicated. Those in the south are referred to as ‘other armed groups’ in the CPA. Within the framework of the peace agreement, those combatants that are members of other armed groups have three choices: integration into either armed force, civil service or reintegration into society. However, the capacity of the parties to absorb them as part of their armed forces or public services is very limited. Other non-allied militias also operate in the south. Under the terms of the CPA, these groups are expected to join with the SPLM or voluntarily demobilize. Details of their treatment in the DDR process have yet to be decided.

Socio-economic
The low level of economic development in southern Sudan is a particular concern with regard to finding effective and sustainable reintegration opportunities. Managing expectations and matching reintegration programmes with the expectations of former combatants and associated groups will be vital. There is limited access to basic social services and a shortage of trained human resources across the country, and particularly in the south. Extensive capacity building of human resources and institutions will be essential for the effective implementation of DDR.

DDR Strategy and Approach

Mandate and DDR provision in CPA
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on 9 January 2005 contains a section on Demobilization, Disarmament, Reintegration and Reconciliation. The section makes provisions for the establishment, composition and responsibilities of the DDR Institute. On 24 March 2005 the Security Council passed resolution 1590 (2005) and “decided that the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) shall assist in the establishment of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme as called for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, with particular attention to the special needs of women and child combatants, and its implementation through voluntary disarmament and weapons collection and destruction” (para.4).

Approach
The parties acknowledged specific challenges for engaging in DDR in Sudan and agreed to take a phased approach by establishing an Interim DDR Programme (IDDRP). The interim programme will attempt to address specific groups that can clearly be identified up-front, while continuing to move forward on the formulation and the preparations for a multi-year full-scale DDR programme. The following situations and challenges informed the formulation of the IDDRP:

1. Presence of Other Armed Groups (OAGs).
2. Lack of effective and sustainable reintegration opportunities (the low level of economic development in southern Sudan is a particular concern).
3. Disparities among different regions in terms of infrastructure and basic capacity.
4. Limited national capacities to plan manage and implement DDR.
5. Lack of absorptive capacities of communities at all levels.
6. Lack of institutional and legal framework and capacity for control of small arms and arms reduction.
7. Outstanding issues of the process and timelines of disengagement of forces in the ceasefire zone; the model of assembly of forces; the scope of and responsibility for disarmament of the parties, as well as engagement with OAGs and Popular Defence Forces (PDF) on verifiable disarmament.
8. Need to manage high expectations in the form of monetary packages and to build a credible DDR process.
9. Large number of anticipated early demobilization of children.
10. The reason the CPA foresees SSR activities (Force Reduction and Disengagement) beginning only after a considerable length of time creates difficulties for DDR. Without clearly defining which of the ex-combatants will be retained for the post-conflict security forces it is not possible to fully define the DDR target group and the criteria for their identification and acceptance into the programme.

Aim and Objectives
The IDDRP programme is specifically aimed at providing DDR support to special target groups. It also aims to prepare for a multi-year DDR programme through an IDDRP supported reporting, registration and screening process, with particular focus in the South. It will, in this manner, seek to build capacity for implementation of the multi-year DDR programme, which should be drafted and approved towards the last stage of the IDDRP, on the basis of on-going common discussions and assessed pilot implementation interventions. Its successful development and implementation will lay the groundwork for the development and future implementation of a multi-year DDR programme, which will complete the DDR process.

Eligibility Criteria
At the signing of the CPA, the parties committed themselves to disclose the numbers of their forces. However, given the long history of the civil war and the fluid nature of SPLM, establishing the exact number of adult combatants to be demobilized from both SPLA and SAF remains a challenge. Other non-allied militias also operate in the south. Under the terms of the CPA, these groups are expected to join with the SPLM or voluntarily demobilize. Details of other armed groups and other non-allied militias have yet to be determined by the parties.

As to women combatants, UNMIS/UNDP conducted a field assessment to determine the number of special needs groups. The current planning estimate of women associated with the fighting forces is 3,000. The following target groups are eligible for the Sudanese DDR process:

• Government of Sudan Armed Forces
• SPLA
• Other non-allied OAGs
• Children associated with the fighting forces
• Women associated with the fighting forces

Operational Structure and Framework

Main roles and responsibilities of national DDR actors and the UN are as follows:

- The National Council on DDR Coordination Council (NCDDRC) is provided with the prime responsibility of policy formulation, oversight, review, coordination and evaluation of the progress of the North and South Sudan DDR commissions. The NCDDRC shall be appointed by and accountable to the Presidency.
- The North Sudan DDR Commission (NSDDRC) and the South Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC) are mandated to design, implement and manage the DDR process at the northern and southern sub-national levels respectively.
- The State DDR commissions shall be entrusted with the responsibility of programme implementation at the state and local levels.

While the Government of National Unity has now endorsed the IDDRP, the NCDDRC has not yet been inaugurated to address key policy issues to advance the DDR process.

The Other Armed Groups Collaborative Committee, which was established in 2005, is supposed to oversee the process of incorporating and integrating their allied militias into the parties’ regular forces. Although the establishment of the Other Armed Groups Collaborative Committee is considered as one of the pre-conditions for DDR, the Committee only met for the second time.

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Area of Activity

Implementation activities within the scope of the IDDRP include:

• Finalization of the necessary research and assessments for IDDRP programme design and implementation
• Registration, Screening and initial voluntary demobilization even before the commencement of the Force Reduction process scheduled at a later stage as per the CPA
• Public information through sensitisation and awareness raising campaigns
• DDR Support to Special Needs Groups, including women associated with armed groups, children and the physically and mentally disabled
• Regarding children:

o The demobilization and removal of all children under the age of 18 from all armed forces and groups in Sudan;
o The return of children associated with fighting forces and groups to families as part of family tracing and reunification for all separated children;
o Inclusive community-based reintegration for vulnerable children;
o Monitoring and prevention of recruitment and re-recruitment;

• National DDR Institutions Capacity Building
• Approval of a Reintegration Framework for DDR
• Preparation and approval of a Multi-year DDR Programme
• Preparations for Force Reduction and coordination of SST/SSR and DDR planning.

Main achievements in the IDDRP implementation so far are:

• The North Sudan and South Sudan DDR Interim Authorities have been staffed, equipped and trained, with 5 offices in the North and 2 offices in the South, with a further 5 expected to be set up by June 2006.
• Full surveys of the targeted Special Needs Groups (children and women associated with the armed forces, and disabled ex-combatants) have been carried out. Their transitional support packages have been defined and are currently under procurement
• The removal of the children from the SPLA and their associated Other Armed Groups (OAGs) has begun, with 380 children removed in March 2006 and a further 750 expected by end April 2007, out of an estimated 4/5.000 total to be removed
• 5 projects for support services development for the South National Government are currently implemented, covering HIV/AIDS counselling and support; suicide, drug and alcohol abuse prevention services; and extension services for the disabled
• Community security threat mapping activities have begun in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States, and will begin in May in Lakes, Warap and Jonglei States. These mappings will determine the priority interventions for the community security interventions of the programme
• A SPLA registration support programme has been developed and is underway, to help the SPLA carry out a full registration of all its members (including the newly integrated OAGs). This will provide the individualized listing of the DDR candidates, both for the IDDRP and for the upcoming DDR programme, allowing the SPLA to develop a payroll, without which DDR cannot take place.

The process of defining the future DDR programme must proceed according to strict and verifiable criteria, agreed to by all parties through their respective Commissions and the NCDDRC. In this respect, within the framework of the IDDRP, the following steps are being taken to support the national authorities to define the key issues of category and number of participants, and modalities for the DDR processes:

• Training of SPLA registration data collection team and setting up the data processing centre in Yei, Southern Sudan
• Establishment of State level Offices in 11 locations in Southern Sudan and the Transition Areas
• Capacity-building to set up and equip 11 field offices, recruitment of technical personnel and establishment of systems
• Procurement of registration technology to set up a MIS for timely and efficient demobilization and reinsertion activities
• Recruitment and deployment of international technical personnel to support Sudanese DDR staff at HQ and State level with programming and implementation tasks
• Over 250 child combatants were demobilized and reunited with their families. Special transitional support projects were commenced for the disabled and for women associated with the armed forces in Southern Sudan
• In September 2006, 100 SPLM members participated in a training session on registration and data collection jointly conducted by the SSDDRC and the SPLA. They are expected to assist the registration of SPLA forces.

Approach to special needs groups (children, women, disabled and foreign combatants)

While full-scale registration, demobilization and reintegration of special needs groups has yet to commence, the UN DDR Unit has been supporting the North Sudan and South Sudan DDR Commissions (NSDDRC; SSDDRC) and other implementing partners to lay groundwork that will ensure the successful and sustainable reintegration of special needs groups.

In North Sudan, 120 women associated with armed forces and groups (WAAFG), children associated with armed forces and groups (CAAFG), and disabled combatants were registered, provided with a reinsertion package and a cash payment (first instalment) of USD 100 for transportation and resettlements allowance, in a pilot for other armed groups (OWG) in Khartoum during the end of July 2006. No cash payment was made for CAAFG. The second instalment of USD 100 was provided to the WAAFG and disabled ex-combatants in September 2006.

With regard to Child DDR as part of the Interim DDR Programme, the NSDDRC conducted a programme implementation framework consultative workshop on 20 September 2006, in which it was agreed to develop a programme implementation plan which will be the overarching framework for the removal of CAAFG under the DDR process. On 25 July, the NSDDRC completed their first registration exercise of CAAFG.

In South Sudan, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Sensitization Workshops for women’s Community Based Organizations (CBO) took place in Wau, Malakal and Juba from May to July 2006 in partnership with UNDP. In addition, thirty-two HIV/AIDS Peer Educators from the SLPA were trained in Rumbek in June 2006.

The Regional Child DDR Officers (RCDDRO) have been managing the demobilisation of children with varying degrees of success across Southern Sudan. While in the areas around Malakal the RCDDRO has coordinated essential activities with the appropriate actors, in other locations, specifically Tonj, no success was made in this regard, and registration of children was not accurate. This also hindered the release and reunification process in a demobilisation exercise carried out in Tonj in July which necessitated closer UNICEF support. Despite UNICEF promoting the integrated community-based approach to reintegration of CAAFG, following the Paris Guiding Principles, the limited capacity of Southern Sudan’s institutions and the absorption capacity of receiving communities to facilitate their return continues to be one of the main challenges.

Resource Mobilisation

The IDDRP, developed in mid-2005, has received significant donor support, and of its’ expected US$55 million budget, currently has a total of US$42 million, of which US$12.7 million are UNMIS assessed budget contributions, and the rest consists of direct voluntary contributions. The total IDDRP budget for 2005-2006 is US$69.44 million. UNMIS DDR will contribute US$12.7 million.

Financial Break-down: Disarmament and demobilization of 5,000 special needs groups (excluding children) – US$4 million; Disarmament and demobilization (and reinsertion) of 10,000 militia forces – US$8 million; Consultancies (for the initial surveys and assessments) – US$300,000; Quick Impact Projects in selected high-risk communities - US$400,000.

The remainder of the IDDRP budget (US$56.3 million) covered by voluntary contributions support the following:
Socio-economic reintegration of those disarmed and demobilized (costs not covered by the assessed budget), Community arms reduction and control, Establishment of a community security fund, Personnel of the national DDR Commissions, and Capacity building of Sudanese national DDR commission.

Current Challenges and Updates

The main challenges to the IDDRP programme are:

• The full formal set up of the North Sudan and South Sudan DDR Commissions, and the formal approval of the IDDRP by the NSDDRC, with the full political ratification of the DDR process by the North Sudan security authorities
• The full set up of the network of Commission offices, which will require building eleven offices and rehabilitating six others, for this initial phase
• The rapid finalization of the SPLA registration, in order for the DDR of the WAAFG and the Disabled ex-combatantss to be able to begin (the existence of a detailed CAAFG audit has allowed this process to begin already)
• The processing and completion of the procurement, through UNMIS, of the MIS system, the Transitional Support Packages and the support to the building and rehabilitation of Commission offices.