ABSTRACT
The overhaul of a country’s political system is both an immediate and longterm task in the aftermath of conflict, and the rebuilding or creation of political institutions and systems of governance is essential to reconstruction efforts at all levels. While short-term measures may be delivered through non-government channels, long-term development and planning cannot effectively take place in the absence of legitimate political structures and reasonably well coordinated efforts at the national and local level (WeissFagen 1995, p.22). Included within the broad area of political reconstruction are tasks such as the restoration, creation or reinforcement of: • an independent judiciary; • a functioning and effective police system; • a functioning criminal justice system; • military reform; • land reform; • a legislative base for the protection of human rights; • systems for generating public sector revenue; • rules for the operation of public enterprise; • mechanisms to ensure accountability between government and people; • electoral reform and preparations for elections; • the formation of political parties; • the creation of democratic institutions. Together with these tasks attention may also need to be directed towards: • The creation of a professional and committed civil service. Without this
the chances are that war-torn countries will fail to absorb international
reconstruction assistance and be unable to sustain long-term development, as well as rendering the local economy vulnerable to foreign domination (Chona and Herbst 1990, p. 152). Ways may need to be devised to attract back personnel whose technical and management skills are needed in the war-torn country from which they may have fled, together with training programmes for new civil servants.
