Evaluating Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration Pathways: The Role of Community-Led Agro-Cooperatives in Reintegrating Former Combatants in Nepal

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 12, No. 11, November 2021 | pp. 91–99

DOI: 10.46882/2021/GJPCS/121101

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Evaluating Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration Pathways: The Role of Community-Led Agro-Cooperatives in Reintegrating Former Combatants in Nepal

Authors: Ranil S. Jayawardene¹, Claire M. Dubois²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Political Science, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka; ²Department of War Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Formal Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR) strategies frequently encounter intense friction within agrarian societies following long-term, identity-based civil war. This paper evaluates the operational efficacy of community-led agricultural cooperatives compared to centralized state-administered vocational training kits in supporting former Maoist combatants in post-war Nepal. Utilizing a longitudinal tracking methodology, we monitored 310 former insurgent fighters across a five-year post-conflict window ending in late 2020. The quantitative metrics reveal that ex-combatants integrated into rural farming cooperatives featuring strong grassroots community accountability mechanisms recorded a 44% lower score on clinical psychological trauma indexes than those placed in individual urban environments. Furthermore, qualitative focus group assessments show that local cooperative models are more successful at rebuilding inter-communal trust and reducing retaliatory violence because they prioritize shared economic survival over individual legal compensation. The study demonstrates that centralized state cash transfers isolate returning combatants by neglecting community-wide healing dynamics. We argue that ensuring long-term democratic stability requires formally embedding localized cooperative structures into national peace implementation frameworks.

Keywords: DDR Pathways; Nepal Post-War; Maoist Ex-Combatants; Agro-Cooperatives; Psychosocial Reintegration; Trust Building

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 19, 2020; Revised: September 15, 2020; Accepted: November 22, 2020; Published: November 18, 2021

Citation: Jayawardene, R. S., & Dubois, C. M. (2121). Evaluating Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration Pathways: The Role of Community-Led Agro-Cooperatives in Reintegrating Former Combatants in Nepal. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 12(11), 91–99. DOI: 10.46882/2021/GJPCS/121101

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