Document Abstract
Published:
2009
Reconstruction under fire: unifying civil and military counterinsurgency
Civil counterinsurgency: development in the midst of conflict
This study discusses the protection of civilians during insurgency through civil counterinsurgency (COIN). Militarily COIN involves using force to defeat insurgents while the civilian aspect ensures the provision of services and better governance in order to weaken insurgency’s appeal to the population therefore a crucial aspect of development practice in the midst of conflict.
The paper identifies capacity-building, public-service gap-filling, emergency humanitarian-relief delivery and economic development as the four types of civil COIN. Conducting civil COIN in the midst of insurgency depends on securing such networks like nodes, hubs and links, which differs operationally from securing whole expanses of territory in which these networks function. Building capacity and creating livelihood opportunities are crucial when insurgency is young or old and relatively weak. When insurgency is at or near full throttle, 'gap-filling' may be necessary if it will take longer to overhaul the indigenous government than it will for insurgency to succeed. Emergency humanitarian relief is required when order, safety, and government services collapse putting people at risk of death or displacement.
The paper offers a number of recommendations for civil COIN, including:
The paper identifies capacity-building, public-service gap-filling, emergency humanitarian-relief delivery and economic development as the four types of civil COIN. Conducting civil COIN in the midst of insurgency depends on securing such networks like nodes, hubs and links, which differs operationally from securing whole expanses of territory in which these networks function. Building capacity and creating livelihood opportunities are crucial when insurgency is young or old and relatively weak. When insurgency is at or near full throttle, 'gap-filling' may be necessary if it will take longer to overhaul the indigenous government than it will for insurgency to succeed. Emergency humanitarian relief is required when order, safety, and government services collapse putting people at risk of death or displacement.
The paper offers a number of recommendations for civil COIN, including:
- Civil COIN should be conducted where the population lives, despite the persistence of violence
- prioritisations hould be based on effectiveness, legitimacy, and reach of the government in weakening the insurgency
- Civil authorities should recognize the contribution of civil COIN and should pursue ways to enable it to proceed despite the risk
- Civilian and military leaders should jointly allocate resources among missions based on where the greatest benefit to COIN lies
- Securing civil COIN should be the responsibility of local government and forces.
The also paper calls for additional research and analysis on priorities, establishing a common civil-military practical-operational vocabulary, planning securing for local nodes, central hubs, and movements, creating integrated information networks, organising concerted civil-military decision-making and identifying gaps in capabilities and procedures.
