ABSTRACT
People would often describe their memories of the past as a kind of yardstick to measure the progress of the country. This chapter discusses some of the main themes in terms of Top-Down Development; Producing Dependency; Commodification of Identities; Alienation, and New Norms and Values. Then discusses each in turn, to illustrate where policy changes are needed in order to ensure the reintegration of people who are being disabled. Development viewed from a top-down minority world setting has an impact on how effective poverty reduction strategies are. A paradoxical situation was created, where despite espousing neoliberal development policies, local people were having difficulties entering the job market and some were forced into dependency instead. Top-down processes of development were also linked to a colonial legacy that lay at the roots of the conflict. Top-down processes of development, the creation of dependency and the commodification of identities were all tied to people's feelings of alienation.
