Box 3.3: Best Practice in the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Rehabilitation in Mozambique through the Efforts of Religious Leaders 4 Cessation of violent conflict often leaves unsolved the problem of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the hands of demobilised and civil populations. Mozambique has been no exception in this regard. Due to its civil war of 16 years, small arms and light weapons were freely available over a wide area of its territory. Following the signing of the GPA in 1992, UNOMOZ supervised a DDR programme that lasted nearly two years. Nearly 120 000 combatants of FRELIMO and RENAMO were demobilised, while only about 12 500 were retained to constitute the Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique (FADM). A programme of rehabilitation was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the ILO and donor agencies, such as the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). These DDR programmes soon terminated one after the other. The Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), under the leadership of Bishop Dinis Sengulane of the Anglican Diocese of Lebombo has, however, tenaciously continued efforts to completely disarm and rehabilitate Mozambicans who came to possess arms as a result of the civil war. It is estimated that the UNOMOZ operation resulted in the recovery of some 150 000 arms. At the time of the CRM, the CCM had recovered over 600 000 small arms and light weapons. The CCM has received financial support from some countries, especially Canada, Germany and Japan, to pay for arms or purchase farm tools, sewing machines and other work tools to exchange for arms. This remarkable achievement has received global acclaim, especially from the World Council of Churches (WCC). While those who return arms have been given compensation in cash or kind and have been helped to reintegrate into society, recovered arms have been creatively turned into works of art. Two prominent sculptures – Throne of Weapons and Tree of Life – have been acquired by the British Museum. Made of recovered AK-47s, this archetypical instrument of death has been, and is being, transformed into things of beauty. The great lesson and value of this achievement as an example to the rest of the world lie in the fact that the Mozambican church leaders have leveraged their social status as religious leaders to promote peace rather than remain apathetic. Their efforts endure long after international organisations and the government have retreated from the field. It is also to the credit of the CCM that it works with the government in the handling of recovered weapons while remaining strictly non-partisan. The CCM demonstrates the possibilities that open up when civil society creatively engages in meeting critical needs in society. 4 Alden, C. 1995. Swords into ploughshares? The United Nations and demilitarisation in Mozambique. International Peacekeeping, Summer, 175–93. 99