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Security Sector Reform Resource Centre
Is Military Intervention in Libya the Answer?
Three years after the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, Libya is far from the democratic state many had envisioned and hoped for. Instead the country finds itself fragmented into an alarming number of armed groups, raising fears of a full-scale civil war. –Raeesah Cachalia (republished with permission from Institute for Security Studies)
News
DRC: Mysterious killings in east Congo prompt anger at UN and army
Following a rash of violent night time massacres in the eastern DRC, confidence that the UN and Congolese army are capable of maintaining order in the notoriously unstable region is waning. –Aaron Ross, Reuters
EU invites Colombia military to participate in missions
The European Union (EU) has extended an invitation to the armed forces of Colombia to participate in its overseas deployments, including an anti-piracy operation in the Horn of Africa and civilian security mission in Ukraine. –Joel Gillin, Colombia Reports
Another peace deal forged in South Sudan
Following sustained international pressure, representatives of both sides of South Sudan’s civil war have agreed to yet another peace deal, the third signed between the two groups. –Associated Press
U.S. weighs sanctions on Libyan factions to try to halt proxy war
In an effort to prevent Libya’s internal conflict from mushrooming into a full out civil war, the United States is considering imposing sanctions on both of the dominant Libyan factions. –Mark Hosenball and Arshad Mohammed, Reuters
Venezuela’s leftists ‘collectives’ defy disarmament bid
A number of armed non-state groups in Venezuela have declared that they will not take part in a government-sponsored disarmament campaign, designed to address rampant crime in the country. –Global Post
Burma Profits Off Rohingya Exodus
According to a Bangkok-based advocacy group, Myanmar’s security forces are profiting from a widespread and systematic ring of extortion, whereby they extract payments from fleeing Rohingya Muslims. –Todd Pitman and Esther Htusan, Associated Press
China’s top military body to take over army auditing office
China’s Central Military Commission is taking over the operations of the country’s powerful military auditing office, as part of a broader effort to ensure proper supervision of the army. –Reuters
UN evaluates its peacekeeping mission in Guinea Bissau
The UN has begun the process of evaluating the mandate of its peacebuilding office in Guinea Bissau. The country’s United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office was created in 1999 following years of military and political conflict. –Global Post
No further delay in disarmament process of rebels in DRC: UN Security Council
The UN Security Council has reiterated that there should be no further delays in the voluntary disarmament of FDLR militias in the DRC, and that any rebels who do not disarm by the pre-arranged deadline should be confronted militarily. –Xinhua
Senior Myanmar officials guilty of war crimes, Harvard report says
While fighting an ethnic rebellion, troops under the command of Myanmar’s interior ministry presided over a campaign of widespread repression, including torture and murder, according to a recent report from Harvard Law School. –Jared Ferrie, Reuters
West African presidents open talks with Burkina’s military leader
Several regional leaders opened a dialogue with Burkina Faso’s new military leader last week, in an effort to encourage the country’s transition back to civilian rule. –Reuters
Angola: Civilian Disarmament Campaign Collects 91,000 Weapons
As part of a disarmament campaign that began in 2008, authorities in Angola have collected more than 91,000 firearms. –Prensa Latina
Lebanon: Kahwagi off to Riyadh for arms deal signing ceremony
The armed forces of Lebanon finalized a $3 billion weapons deal last week with France and Saudi Arabia, an announcement observers had been waiting for since the three countries signed the initial agreement a year ago. –The Daily Star
Analysis
Pick Your Battles: Ending America’s Era of Permanent War
Following over a decade of deadly conflict, the United States should alter its foreign policy to focus on its strengths and avoid chaotic countries. America’s key foreign policy decision-makers should lead the country into fewer conflicts, while focusing on traditional conflicts that can be won decisively. –Richard Betts, Foreign Policy
Publications
Political killings in South Africa: The ultimate intimidation
Despite the end of apartheid, political killings remain a reality in South African politics. However, more in-depth research is needed to understand how political killings are treated in the country, as fewer than 10 percent result in convictions. –David Bruce, Institute for Security Studies
Turkey and the PKK: Saving the Peace Process
After three decades of fighting and thousands of conflict-related deaths, both the Turkish government and the rebel PKK fighters now understand that a pure military victory is unattainable. However, in order to ensure a peaceful resolution of the conflict, both sides need to compromise on issues of transitional justice, disarmament and decentralization. –International Crisis Group
Between a rock and a hard place: The UN and the protection of civilians in South Sudan
The UN mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, faces a difficult situation in its efforts to protect civilians. While the objective of the mission has been restructured to focus on civilian protection, its current mandate has become incredibly vulnerable to spoilers. –Mark Malan and Charles Hunt, Institute for Security Studies
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