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Reintegration – 2004

Transitional government had established National Commission for demobilization, Reinsertion and Reintegration (CNDRR) with the assistance from the Multi-Country Demobilization and Reintegration Program (MDRP) — a program sponsored by various partner countries, donor agencies and international institutions including World Bank. This MDRP program was expected to demobilize and reintegrate estimated 300,000 combatants from countries in the Great Lake region.¹

In March, it was estimated that the Burundian Armed Force had 45,000 troops, and total number of combatants from political parties and movement were estimated to be about 35,000.² In August, the government announced to integrate all combatants into state defense force and initiate demobilization estimated 55,000 that would leave the army of 20,000 personnel.³ In early November, the NCDRR confirmed the DDR process to begin on 29 November. The Process, however, was officially started on 2 December. In the function attended by the country’s president and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, 100 assault rifles were burned. In the first phase of the program, 14,000 combatants were expected to be demobilized and receive reintegration support from MDRP trust fund.⁴

1. “MDRP Progress Report,” Multicountry Demobilization and Reintigration Program, accessed February 21, 2013, http://www.mdrp.org/doc_rep_main.htm#Progress_Reports.
2. “Secretary General’s Report to the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council (S/2004/210), March 16, 2004.
3. “Secretary General’s Report to the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council (S/2004/682), August 25, 2004; “MDRP Supported Activities in Burundi,” Multicountry Demobilization and Reintigration Program, accessed February 21, 2013, http://www.mdrp.org/PDFs/MDRP_BUR_FS_1208.pdf.
4. “Burundi; Demobilization Starts in Burundi,” Africa News, December 9, 2004.