Introduction

So far, we have looked at the backgrounds of fighters in several Sudanese militias and we have managed to understand the context from which they joined those armed movements. Insecurity turned out to play a major role in triggering young men – but also women – to join the ranks of the SPLA during the civil war in South Sudan. Many soldiers also joined out of a belief in the movement's ideology. Lastly, we have acknowledged the importance of forced recruitment practices in filling the ranks of the SPLA. These three motivations produced the majority of recruits for the movement.

This chapter will explore what happened to the respondents after they were recruited, starting with the process of integration of soldiers into the movement. What was life in the movement like? What did the movement do to create cohesion in the movement among such a diverse group of people most of whom had never been outside of their home area? How did soldiers cope with the life-threatening circumstances on the battlefield? What kind of opportunities existed in the movement and how were privileges distributed? Furthermore, we will try to draw conclusions about factors contributing to the continuation of individuals’ affiliation to the movement: did they ever consider leaving? We will look at the narratives of deserters, who left the movement during the war. Separate sections will be dedicated to the tasks and treatment of women and children in the movement. Finally, we will compare these aspects of the lives of soldiers in the SPLA to the armed movements in the East.

Integration and cohesion

Among policymakers involved in the implementation of DDR projects after a civil war comes to an end, there is some debate about what reintegration means exactly. When is an ex-combatant considered to be successfully reintegrated into society? And, hence, what end goal should DDR projects aim to achieve? These questions form the flipside of the question that will be central in this section. Here we will look at the transformation from a civilian to a soldier. How did new recruits get integrated into the movement? What does it mean to be part of the movement? Furthermore, the section addresses the ingroup identity in the movement, laying the basis for a discussion of loyalty to the movement, further on in this chapter.