Repurposed Rebels - (Studies in Security and International Affairs) by Mariam Bjarnesen

About the Book

"This study examines the forces and mechanisms allowing, and calling for, networks of ex-combatants in Liberia to linger long after the peace agreement was signed in 2003. Original interviews with Liberian ex-combatants provide the basis for a critical look at Liberia's lingering wartime structures by way of following former rebels who, instead of hiding or moving on from their ex-combatant identity, have made use of it in a variety of ways. Rather than abandoning wartime links and command and control structures, as demobilization, disarmament and reintegration initiatives were meant to facilitate, many ex-combatants have for different reason preserved them. They became part, but also mobilisers, of strong networks based on wartime rebel structures that came to affect their lives long after the wars in Liberia were over"--

Book Synopsis

Despite peace agreements, demobilization, and reintegration processes, the end of war does not automatically or necessarily make combatants abandon their wartime rebel networks. In Liberia such structures have lingered long after the civil war came to an end in 2003. Weak formal security institutions with a history of predatory behavior have contributed to the creation of an environment where informal initiatives for security and protection are called upon. In fragile postwar settings, former soldiers can be used as intimidators but have paradoxically reemerged as security providers, challenging our understanding of both the setting and the actors beyond the sphere of war.

Based on original interview material and findings from fieldwork, Repurposed Rebels follows former rebel soldiers from the time of civil war to 2013. These actors have reemerged as "recycled" warriors in times of regional wars and crisis and as vigilantes and informal security providers for economic and political purposes. Through these actors, Mariam Bjarnesen examines the relevance of postwar rebel networks and ex-combatant identity in contemporary Liberia, with an eye to understanding the underlying aims of demobilization when reintegration is challenged. Bjarnesen argues that these ex-combatants have succeeded in reintegrating themselves due to, not despite, the fact that they have not been truly demobilized.

About the Author

MARIAM BJARNESEN is an associate senior lecturer of war studies in the Department of Security, Strategy, and Leadership at Swedish Defense University.