Assessing economic reintegration of ex-people’s liberation army of Namibia combatants in the Ministry of Defence and Veteran’s Affairs from 2006 – 2022
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Date
2025
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The history of Namibia, before the attainment of independence in 1990, is characterised
by two major wars, that is the war of resistance (1885 – 1908), and later, the war of
liberation (1966 – 1989). Following the conclusion of the liberation war, efforts to
implement Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) for former
combatants of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and exiles from the
South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) were initiated. The DDR of exPLAN combatants was implemented by the United Nations Transition Assistance Group
(UNTAG) on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
in 1989. ‘Economic reintegration’ within the context of Namibia refers to the assistance
rendered to ex-PLAN combatants that was meant to support their journey toward
achieving economic self-sufficiency succeeding the DDR process. This study assesses
the ‘economic reintegration’ of ex-PLAN combatants in the Ministry of Defence and
Veteran’s Affairs (MODVA) from 2006 to 2022. The perceived problem discussed is
that ex-PLAN combatants in Namibia face significant challenges in economic
reintegration and career advancement due to limited education, lack of skills, lingering
trauma from war, and inadequate post-conflict support systems, posing potential socioeconomic perils and risks to national security and social stability. This study utilised a
qualitative research approach, and the data was collected through semi-structured
interviews, and was analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The
findings of this thesis indicate that the economic reintegration of ex-PLAN combatants
in Namibia was faced with numerous challenges, some caused by the stagnation of the
country’s economy, the region and/or the world economies between 2008 and 2021. The
study recommends that the relationship between ex-PLAN combatants in the MODVA,
the government and the ruling party should be positioned within the broader context of
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Namibia's political and socio-economic landscape. Finally, the study contributes to the
debates on the economic reintegration of ex-PLAN combatants in the MODVA
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Security and Strategic Studies)
Keywords
War of Resistance, War of Liberation, UNTAG, DDR, Ex-PLAN Combatants, Economic Reintegration, Namibia, University of Namibia