Connecting Community Security and DDR: Experiences from Burundi

This report is based on ten weeks of field research in Burundi, between April and June 2010. This research was one of the activities of the Peace Security and Development Network (PSDN) working group on community security and community-based Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). The aim of this working group is to contribute to our understanding of how to connect community security and DDR programmes in a context specific way. The research in Burundi builds further on insights from an earlier report of the working group “Security Promotion in Fragile States: Can Local Meet National?” (Willems et. al., 2009), and a case study of eastern DRC (Rouw and Willems, 2010).

The report starts with a background on conflict in Burundi and the DDR programmes undertaken there. Subsequently, ex-combatants’ motivations for mobilization are explored as well as the relations between the different actors involved in the DDR process in Burundi.

Peace, Security and Development Network 2010 

This publication is an outcome of the in 2008 established ‘Network for Peace, Security and Development’. The Network aims to
support and encourage the sharing of expertise and cooperation between the different Dutch sectors and organisations involved
in fragile states. The PSD Network is an initiative under the Schokland Agreements in 2007.