Mats Utas (PI), Anders Themnér and Ilmari Käihkö

Funded by the Swedish Research Council

A key component of the international community’s efforts to build peace in Liberia has been supporting ex-combatants’ disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR). The ultimate goal of this work has been to destroy the command structures of the warring parties by, for example, providing economic assistance to ex-combatants, making it difficult for warlords to remobilize them. However, contrary to popular belief, the DDR process in Liberia has largely failed to dissolve old command structures, as informal ties often continue to thrive between former commanders – especially those on the mid-level (ex-MiLCs) – and their old subordinates. These commanders’ networks constitute a serious challenge to peace in Liberia and West Africa, as they can be used to remobilize former fighters. Recent research has found that without the direct involvement of ex-MiLCs, elites are usually unable to entice ex-combatants to take to arms. Lacking direct contact with former fighters on the grassroots level, they must outsource recruitment to intermediaries, such as ex-MiLCs, with direct and personal relations with the ex-combatants. Despite their apparent threat to peace and stability in the Mano River Basin, scholars and policy-makers have given scant attention to ex-MiLCs. The research project’s overall purpose is to develop strategies to prevent former MiLCs from using their old military networks to remobilize ex-combatants. To do this, the study will, more specifically, seek to answer the three following questions: 1) What strategies do ex-MiLCs employ to retain control over their former fighters after demobilizing? 2) Is it possible to counteract these strategies and break the prevalence of informal command structures – and if so, how? 3) If breaking them is impossible, can these networks be used to support peace rather than undermine it?

An ambitious multi-disciplinary project that looked into issues that were politically very sensitive. Anders conducted a survey-based study, did in-depth interviews, and Ilmari did hardcore fieldwork, mainly in the interior. I could reconnect with some of my old friends in Ganta, but unfortunately, due to family issues, I could not do any long-term work. Although both Anders and Ilmari did a really good job on their part, I missed an opportunity to add to this in a tangible way. The project idea rested solidly on my previous research as well as Anders’ on combatants in Liberia and Sierra Leone. I looked forward to finally combining work with low-rank soldiers and my more theoretical understanding of Big Man networks that I have worked with in the African Conflicts and Big Man Politics project.

This is the scant outcome on my part:

Governance through Brokerage: Informal Governance in Post-Civil War Societies. In Civil Wars, vol 18, no. 3 2016. Pp 255-280.

And a policy note that marked the direction of the project:

Commanders for good and bad: alternative post-war reconstruction and ex-commanders in Liberia. NAI Policy Note 2014/6.

Anders published several more interesting articles, and Ilmari made good use of his PhD years and published a handful of articles for his thesis; laying the foundation for a quick academic career and even making him a celebrity in his native Finland. Eventually, we had a painful fallout with Ilmari, effectively ending this adventure. Here are links to articles by Anders:

Themnér, Anders (2022), “On Brokers, Biases and Leaving the Veranda: Working with Research Brokers in Political Science Based Field Research,” Civil Wars, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 117-139.

Themnér, Anders and Niklas Karlén (2020), “Building A Safety Net: Explaining the Strength of Ex-Military Networks”, Security Studies, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 268–300.

Themnér, Anders (2019) “Wealth in Ex-Combatants: Examining the Resilience of Ex-Command Structures in Post-War Liberia,” Journal of Global Security Studies, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 526-544.

Themnér, Anders, (2018) “Commanding Abuse or Abusing Command? Ex-Command Structures and Drugs in Liberia,” Third World Thematics, Vol 3, No. 1, pp. 46-62;

Themnér, Anders (2015), “Former Military Networks and the Micro-Politics of Violence and Statebuilding in Liberia,” Journal of Comparative Politics Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 334-353.