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Move
2
Transitions
in Peace Operations
Guidance
for the Discussion on Potential Transitions in UNMIT
Of
great concern to the SRSG are the threats to the mission
on the ground. The major security threat remains the uncontrolled
elements of both parties and criminal elements that have
taken advantage of the conflict situation. He gauges that
both parties are likely to honor the agreements for the
most part, however Samagaland continues to exploit the situation
through propaganda broadcasts, indicating that the UN mandated
border solution is being imposed by force. It is felt that
they might be prepared to exploit any weakness in the transition
area through paramilitary means, particularly through controlled
insurgents that are supported by Samagaland in the North.
As
the evaluation continues, the SRSG has requested examination
of some of the many issues surrounding transitions within
the UNMIT mission. The SRSG has provided key guidance to
guide the discussion on transition issues:
- The
military mission is to provide a secure military environment
to permit UNMIT to accomplish its mission;
- The
issues related to the new and old border, the transition
zone, the buffer zone and the humanitarian situation represent
the key points of the mission;
- Rule
of law is identified as the critical facto;.
- The
Mission will concentrate its activities on security, access,
support and the establishment of the rule of law.
Requirements
Group
members were reshuffled for Topic 2 discussions. They continued
to represent the appointed staff from their National Headquarters.
The
out brief for Topic 2 identifies critical points, the indicators
of success, and actions to be taken, if any, for each of
the following four key transitions:
- The
transition between the Multi-National Force (MNF) and
the UN force that will replace it. This will have implications
for planning and deployment priorities. Based on the force
levels and tasks derived, the Secretary Generals report
and the draft resolution, explore the issues that devolve
from this military transition and brief the SRSG and his
team on the implications. As a minimum, consider assumptions
regarding the MNF activities, major changes that will
impact the transition, and how the transition will be
accomplished;
- There
will also be changes within the mission as it progresses
over time. Changes in force structure can be expected
and will need to be planned and executed. Address what
will trigger these adjustments and what impact they will
have;
- The
transition of territory from one state to another also
presents unique challenges. The SRSG has responsibility
for this transition and will depend upon the military
component to assist this process. Of particular interest
are issues that impact the military mission, and the key
military-civilian coordination and cooperation issues
that must be considered from a military perspective as
the UN Force operates in the transition areas;
- The
final transition to be examined is the Military End State
and the Exit Strategy. Determining when the military mission
is complete is a very difficult process. Explore the criteria
and conditions necessary at the end state, and determine
who sets the conditions and the relationship of the military
end state to the mission end state.
Move
2
Findings
A.
Transition from MNF to UNMIT
Factors
The
first issue to consider is the degree of success of the
MNF mission. It is unlikely to have been completely successful;
there would be no need for the UNMIT mission if this were
the case. Likewise, it is unlikely for the MNF mission to
have been a complete failure. The most probable situation
is that the MNF mission was a partial success, however,
the MNF may declare success complete, or success of a greater
degree than is the reality. his tendency to overstate the
positive may be balanced through the use of appropriate
professionals and experts to conduct careful analysis and
assessment of all sectors. A key component would be the
assessment of threats, using intelligence gleaned from many
sources, including local information and human intelligence.
Many
factors will impact the MNF to UNMIT Forces transition:
increase in the number of participating nations, changes
in force structure and size, boundaries and sectors, leadership
and command structure, military command vs. civilian authority,
rules of engagement, logistics set-up, mandate and tasks,
opportunities for training, education and orientation (TOE),
changes to the security situation, the degree of local population
support, the emergence of spoilers, the occurrence of infectious
disease among the MNF, and inclement weather.
Recommendations
Accomplishment
of a successful transition from the MNF to UNMIT Forces
follows from careful planning to address all of the factors,
which will impact the transition, starting from the above:
- An
increase in participating nations will require early planning
and coordination with the troop contributing nations;
- Necessary
changes to force structure and size are best met through
joint planning of timelines and liaising through the deployment
of an advance party;
- Assessment
and detailed planning and coordination of current problems
with the MNF and Civil Administration will greatly assist
with the challenges posed by changes to boundaries and
sectors;
- To
address the changes to the leadership and command structure,
some MNF HQ staff should be retained to contribute knowledge
that is new to UNMIT HQ staff, and the UNMIT Force Commander
(FC) should arrive prior to the departure of the MNF FC;
- When
mitigating the effects brought about by the change from
military command to a civilian authority, education and
training for new UNMIT forces and the remaining MNF forces,
liaising, coordinating, and the defining of roles and
responsibilities help to ease the transition;
- To
address the changes to the mandate and tasks, planners
have to assess in advance in order to make recommendations
on force structure, locations, sectors, boundaries, etc;
- Training,
orientation, education (TOE) should be conducted both
pre-deployment and in-theater and should involve retained
MNF personnel;
- The
potential for the degradation of the security situation
calls for early identification of problem areas, early
coordination on planning and public affairs, rapid phased
execution, and synchronizing of security plans to avoid
parallel security plans;
-
Positively influencing local population support demands
the design and implementation of an information campaign;
-
Weather can impact the transition, but its influence can
be minimized through proper planning to include appropriate
gear;
- The
threat posed by infectious diseases can be reduced through
health surveillance, inoculations, and TOE.
Other
coordination activities should address the establishment
of standard operating procedures, new rules of engagement,
joint use of facilities (APOD, SPOD), information and psychological
operations, an advocacy campaign, interface with the humanitarian
community, the provision of relief in place, and the redeployment
of the MNF. Indications of a successful transition may be
that all planning, coordination, liaison, and deployment
of UNMIT Forces are completed in a timely fashion.
B.
Transitions within the UNMIT mission
Factors
There
are factors within the mission that will require evaluation
of their status to help to determine what kinds of changes
are necessary to accommodate the changes in peace, security
in the broadest sense, and the establishment of law and
order that they represent. The table below illustrates some
of these factors in the general sense, which will influence
adjustments to the mission, force structure, tasks and capacities:
| Factors
influencing adjustment |
Impact
of the changes |
|
Perceived
threat from potential peace spoilers
|
Insecurity,
additional humanitarian task
|
|
Cessation
of ceasefire
|
Withdrawal
or revision of mandate
|
|
Accelerated
IDP and refugee return and reintegration i.e., secure
environment, de-mining
|
Prioritizing
de-mining tasks and humanitarian support
|
|
Need
for electoral support during mandate
|
Re-prioritizing
military task for electoral support (riot control,
physical security, security of ballots, etc.)
|
|
Intervention
from regional political actors (N. Tindoro, Samagaland
etc)
|
Revision
of mandate may be required, impacting tasks of mission.
|
|
Political
change within the mission area (e.g., new leadership)
|
Political
change may incite instability or may promote stability.
|
|
Improvement
in security
|
Accelerated
peace building activities, allowing re-allocation/reduction
of forces/change to ROEs.
|
|
Improvement
in law and order (e.g., establishment of local police)
|
Accelerated
peace building activities, allowing re-allocation/reduction
of forces/change to ROEs.
|
|
Progress
in DDR process
|
DDR
unsuccessful: Possible impact on mission duration.
DDR successful: Improved security and stability.
|
One
group examined specifically the triggers for adjustment
to force structure. Positive changes in the security situation
will likely result in changes to the mandate, to include
the rules of engagement, force size and capabilities, logistics
support, and the tasks the forces are required to perform.
An improved security situation could be due to a combination
of the establishment of law and order within the border
zone and transition areas, demilitarization in the border
zone and transition areas, the fulfillment of basic needs,
an improving economic situation, a developing civil society,
and an increase in civilian participation, all of which
would also necessitate a shift in the focus of non-governmental
and international organizations.
C.
Transition of Territory
Factors
Issues
identified as critical to UN operation in the transition
area are:
- All
aspects of security;
- Law
and order (e.g., restoration of law and order; addressing
the shortage of civilian police; ethnic issues, major
crime, local police training);
-
Command and control within the transition areas (to manage
all the activities by SRSG and his deputies);
-
Establishment of the local government with administration
capability and supported from grassroots;
- Rehabilitation
(facilitate reconstruction and post-conflict reconciliation
process at the same time);
-
Communication Structure (language, culture, grassroots
organization, media support);
- Harmonization
of majority and minority groups (protection, displacement,
refugees, border issues);
- Property
and Ownership (legal context, registration, claim process,
regulation, business registration);
- Citizenship
Issues (passport, documentation, marriage, vehicle registration,
birth certificate, taxation, driver licenses);
- Border
Establishment and Demarcation;
-
Clearing of Mines;
- Eliminating
access to and flow of small arms;
- Maximum
utilization of local capacity and engagement with every
phase of transition processes.
Specific
military tasks within the transition areas include facilitation
of trans-border movements through established crossing and
check points, de-mining operations, information operations,
support to local authorities, support to humanitarian organizations,
protection of minorities, Quick Reaction Force, employment
and maintenance of security in the transition areas. Strong
civil-military coordination is required in the transition
areas, to include coordination and liaising through civilian-military
liaison officers, humanitarian coordination with CIMIC,
CMOC, etc., and coordination with the transitional authority
and local civic and religious leaders.
Recommendations
-
Rapid positioning of UN Civilian Police with executive
powers;
- The
transitional authority should expedite the creation of
a judicial system;
- Encourage
donor support to recovery and reconstruction efforts,
particularly the reintegration of former combatants;
- Regional
actors should be called upon for full participation and
cooperation in all aspects of the process;
-
A Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) should be established;
-
Increase the capabilities for ancillary tasks, for example,
de-mining, which will assist the country in not only security
but in economic recovery;
-
Opportunities for information campaigns must be included
in UNMIT mandate;
- Allow
sufficient capacity to properly demarcate border;
- Establish
coordination mechanisms between UNMIT and humanitarians;
- Establish
coordination mechanism between UNMIT and civilian authorities
of Host Nations;
- Establish
a coordination mechanism between UNMIT forces and human
rights monitors;
- Establish
an inter-ethnic reconciliation program;
- Support
monitoring by independent regional organizations (UN/OSCE
models).
D.
Transition Related to the Military End State and the Exit
Strategy
Criteria,
Conditions and Indicators
The
criteria and conditions that need to be established by mutual
agreement and expert assessment in order to consider disengaging
the UNMIT forces are as follows, with indicators of success
in parentheses include:
- Political
resolution (transformation of militias in political parties,
undisputed and secure border);
- Demilitarization
(ceasefire, disarmament, demobilization, creation of new
integrated armed forces under civilian control);
- Basic
needs are met (affordable shelter, water, healthcare,
food are available);
- Human
security (freedom from fear, freedom from want, resettlement
of IDPs/refugees);
-
Public security (law and order, functioning local police
system);
- Good
Governance (functional legislative/judicial/administrative
bodies/grass roots support);
-
Functional economy (emergence of experts, markets are
open w/stable prices);
-
Functioning civil society ('free' media, health, education,
local NGOs, etc).
It
is ultimately the SRSG who determines the conditions for
termination of UNMIT military force activities. The SRSG
does so under advisement from host nations, the troop contributing
nations, the UNMIT Force Commander, Humanitarian Coordinator
and Civilian Police Commissioner as to when the military
end state is achieved. There are, however, many other secondary
advisors determined by sector, including international organizations,
international and national non-governmental organizations,
donors, international financial institutions, local businesses,
human rights organizations and the media.
Relating
the Military End State to the Mission End State
The
relationship between the military end state to the mission
end state is that the military end state focuses on the
prevention of armed confrontations by a fighting force,
while the mission end state focuses on establishing durable
peace supported by an observer force. The mission end state
is broader in its context, as the achievement of the military
end state indicates movement toward peace and success of
UNMIT, or the broader civilian-led civil-military operation.
It is useful to compare the differences between the military
end state and the mission end state side by side:
| Military
End State |
Mission
End State |
-
Threat
of armed attack is under control
-
Militias
demobilized and disarmed
-
Integrated
armed forces are established
|
Peace
and stability are established:
-
Law
and order are established
-
Reintegration
of foreign combatants is complete
-
Armed
forces are under civilian control
|
|
Border
guards are established, trained and deployed
|
Demarcation
of the border is peacefully accomplished
|
|
Successful
return of refugees and IDP
|
Successful
return, resettlement and reintegration of refugees
and IDP
|
|
De-mining
of key areas of operation is complete
|
De-mining
of identified contaminated areas is complete
|
|
Deployment
of a full complement of UN Civilian Police
|
Hand
over of law enforcement tasks to local police
|
|
Freedom
of movement is established, creating enabling environment
for humanitarian assistance operation to take place
|
Transition
from emergency relief to reconstruction/development
program is successful
|
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