Ex-combatants thinking differently: attitudes to threatening the state in post-conflict Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using data from 10 months of field research in Côte d’Ivoire, this article explores the question of why certain groups of ex-combatants in that country are interested in posing a threat to the state, while others are not. It finds that demobilised pro-Gbagbo fighters who have received the least from the post-conflict period are also those most apathetic about threatening the post-war order. The paper argues this is due to expectations among this group of combatants that they would receive meagre assistance in the aftermath of a conflict they had lost, and the perception that their post-war position would remain fixed. By contrast, those demobilised and reinserted Forces Nouvelles (FN) troops who had lofty expectations of the post-war period because of promises made to them during the conflict, were quick to become frustrated with the post-war reality and make aggressive demands of the government. The study underscores the importance of expectations management and effective communication strategies with ex-combatants in the aftermath of conflict.