1. Introduction		CONTENT

There have been discussions about armed forces reform since at least 1995-96. Two institutions recently created to plan, coordinate, and oversee reform of the military are the Council for Reform of the Royal Armed Forces and the Council for Demobilization. 

At the Consultative Group Meeting (CG meeting) 1999, the RGC presented a revised plan for demobilization of the armed forces called the Cambodian Veterans Assistance Program (CVAP).  The CVAP contains four phases: registration, demobilization, reinsertion, and reintegration:

• Registration entails identification and data collection of soldiers, issuance of identity cards, and creation of a personnel database;

• Demobilization entails disarmament, health screening, discharge and dispersal of demobilized soldier to host communities;

• Reintegration focuses on the provision of a safety net of basic goods, counseling, facilitation of access to land and /or credit, vocational training and other educational opportunities. 

Provincial committees monitor the demobilization program in their respective provinces.  Provincial Veterans Offices (PVOs) with staff from Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Women's and Veterans’ Affairs are in charge of administration, finance, monitoring and outreach activities. 

First stage

The government reported that the registration of 140,693 military personnel was completed. The government also identified a large number of ghost soldiers and ghost dependents, some 15,551 and 163,346 respectively during the registration process. Civil society and the donor community did not have opportunity to observe the process. 

Second stage 

The second step was the development of a Pilot Demobilization Program (PDP) to test mechanisms and assess program needs. There were 1,500 ex-combatant soldiers demobilized between May and July 2000 from four provinces - Kampot, Kompong Thom, Battambang, and Banteay Meanchey.  

Third stage  

The third stage is the full-scale demobilization program, based on experience in the PDP.  A total of 30,000 soldiers are to be demobilized within a three-year program.  To date, the demobilization of 15,000 soldiers has been completed, with the participation of observers from the NGOs. 

2. Summary of Progress

CONTENT

The following summary of progress was prepared in February-March 2002 as the basis for further NGO discussions on the reforms. 

a) Short term 

The demobilization pilot was completed as scheduled but reintegration to civil society is in the process and it is a very difficult part of the process. 

The government approved the national program for demobilization and the first stage of demobilization of 15,000 has completed as scheduled. The first white paper on national defense was released in January 2001. 

b) Medium term 

In general, the demobilization has made notable progress. Phase one of the full-scale program has been completed as scheduled with external financial support. It is expected that the demobilization program would be completed as planned, but that there may be some problems in reintegration to civil life. 

The articulation of the future nature, size and cost of the military will need a long time to achieve.  There has been little noticeable progress on this matter. 

Further details on progress 

The progress report in the matrix below was prepared by the General-Secretariat of the Council for Administrative Reform (CAR) GAP monitoring unit in December 2001. The CAR received information on all reform areas in the GAP and summarized its findings in the progress report. The NGO Forum has made additional comments (in italics) to update the GAP progress report through interviews with donors, experts and technical persons in the field. Below is a summary of the progress. 

Progress in Armed Forces Reform*

Actions to take	Current status
Short-term Action (1 year)
Complete the pilot phase of the demobilization and reintegration program, and conduct a review of the progress of the program, in full consultation with stakeholders.	Completed Demobilization pilot was completed and assistance for re-integration is in the process. Based on the lessons of this pilot phase, the full demobilization has begun.**
Develop a proposal for a nation-wide -demobilization and reintegration program, based on the review, in full consultation with stakeholders.	Completed The program was approved by Royal Government and demobilization of 15,000 soldiers was completed as scheduled. The reintegration program is in process.
Complete the first White Paper on National Defense, and make it available to the National Assembly, Senate and general public.	Completed Was released in January 2001 after consultations.
Medium term (2-3 Years)
Implement and complete a nation-wide demobilization program, based on the proposal.	In process Phase one of full-scale program has been completed as scheduled with appropriate external financial support.
Articulate the appropriate nature, size and cost of the military in light of visions and policies provided in the White Paper, and complete demobilization program accordingly.	In process Underway in close coordination between the Council of Demobilization and Council for Military Reform.  To date, there has been little sign of commitment to military reform.

* Source: Council for Administrative Reform (December 11, 2001), “GAP Progress Report”
** Information in italics has been added, based on interviews or reviewing official documents/report. 

3. Summary of NGO Involvement in the Sector

CONTENT

In support of peace building, NGOs have created a working group called the Working Group for Weapons Reduction (WGWR). It is a coalition of local and international organizations and individuals who envision Cambodia as a place of peace and safety where people at all levels of society enjoy peace. 

The role of the WGWR in the demobilization program is to assist the Council for Demobilization to improve the effectiveness and transparency of the demobilization process.  NGOs are involved in three main activities:

• Monitoring of the general management of the program

• Interviewers with demobilized soldiers on (i) general response to demobilization; (ii) weapons collection, regulation, and security; (iii) household kit, supportive package, and cash disbursement; (iv) reintegration.

• Education and training on (i) the use of weapons; (ii) regulation of weapons; (iii) role of civilians.

WGWR has been involved in the above activities in four provinces Kampot, Kampong Thom, Battambang, and Banteay Meachey. 

For full-scale demobilization, WGWR acted as a coordinator of local NGOs involved in the monitoring process.  In the role of coordinator, WGWR has provided training in monitoring to its partners. Six NGOs partners have worked under the coordination of the WGWR:

• CARDH                 Banteay Meanchey
  
  

• CFDA                   Banteay Meanchey
  
  

• FAP                     Siem Reap
  
  

• Chivit Thmey         Battambang
  
  

• KHREDO                Kampong Chhnang
  
  

• ADHOC                 Kampong Cham
  
  

• ADHOC                 Stung Treng

The Working Group works directly in an additional three provinces: Kampong Speu, Kandal and Kampot. 

Many NGOs working in the above provinces also have an indirect relationship with the reintegration phase of demobilization, through their support to community development programmes.

Based on their involvement in this reform area, NGOs would like to raise the following issues concerning implementation of demobilization in the GAP: 

4. Issues Raised By NGOs

CONTENT

The NGOs congratulate the government for successfully demobilizing 15,000 soldiers. The demobilization throughout ten provinces was, in general, well managed and implemented. Most demobilized soldiers expressed their satisfaction with the demobilization process.  However, many expressed dissatisfaction with the household kit and support package.

The following are concerns of NGOs over the process of demobilization: 

• A major concern for NGOs is the need for weapons reduction in Cambodian society. The NGOs wish to promote a peaceful society without weapons. However, no collection and destruction of issued weapons took place before demobilization.  Weapons need to be destroyed in public, in order for there to be confidence that weapons collected are not put back into circulation.

• The involvement of NGOs was not at the beginning of the program and some of the activities seem not to be transparent. The participation of civil society in all stages of demobilization would make the process more transparent and reliable. There is continuing doubt about the number of soldiers in active service at the beginning of the demobilization, which was claimed by the government to be 140,693 soldiers.

• Another concern of the NGOs is related to the integration of demobilized soldiers into civil life. The integration into civil society needs time and resources to achieve a good result.

• The reintegration phase of demobilization has not provided sufficient long-term support for demobilized soldiers.  The program of demobilization has had little integration with existing development programs of NGOs, thereby reducing its effectiveness and efficiency.

5. NGO Recommendations

CONTENT

The following recommendations are made to government, NGOs, and donors to improve the process and result of demobilization. 

Recommendations to Government:

A. Disarmament and weapons reduction

• Disarmament -collection of weapons from ex-combatant soldiers- should be integrated in to the demobilization process.
• Destroy one weapon for each soldier demobilized in public.
• Continue raising the awareness of the demobilized on small arm issues and peace building.

B. Role of civil society in Demobilization

• Continue and expand the presence of NGOs in monitoring demobilization.
• Allow NGOs to monitor the delivery of support packages to demobilize soldiers.
• The Royal Government of Cambodia and CDAF should notify NGOs well in advance, allowing time for greater involvement and better preparation.

C. Reintegration

• More effort towards the reintegration of demobilized soldiers is needed
• Reintegration efforts should include vocational training for the long-term benefit of the demobilized soldiers.
• Reintegration efforts should include activities that seek to limit discrimination against demobilized soldiers and promote peaceful conflict resolution in their local communities.

D. Support package monitoring    

• CDAF (Council of Demobilization of Arm Force) should inform soldier about the support package and option before demobilization take place
• CDAF should monitor the use of support packages by demobilized soldier and evaluate the usefulness.

E. Future role and size of military

• The future armed forces should be much smaller, but professional and well equipped, and focused on protecting Cambodia’s borders.

Recommendations to Donors:

• Provide support for vocational training programs for demobilized soldiers.
• Integrate activities to assist the reintegration of demobilized soldiers into existing area development projects.
• Provide continued support to weapons reduction programs.
• Support NGOs in monitoring and following up the process of demobilization.
• Support NGOs in assisting the process of reintegration into civil society.

Recommendations to NGOs

• Should continue to play a crucial role in monitoring the process and evaluating the impact of demobilization in Cambodian society.
• NGOs should incorporate activities into their programs to assist the integration of demobilized soldiers into civil society.

Further NGO recommendations related to demobilization and disarmament may be found in the Disarmament and Demobilization sectoral paper and the Small Arms Reduction and Management sectoral paper of the NGO Statement to the 2002 CG Meeting.