Rebel groups curb landmine use when seeking legitimacy, study finds
Research on Philippine insurgencies reveals that armed groups restrict weapon deployment based on whose approval they need most—local communities, governments, or foreign donors. The finding suggests legitimacy-building could be leveraged as a policy tool to reduce civilian casualties in conflict zones where state control is limited.
Originaltitel: Rebels against mines? Legitimacy and restraint on landmine use in the Philippines
<p>Rebels have become the most prolific users of landmines but still display significant variation in how they employ and restrict the weapon’s use. This article argues that how rebels exercise restraint on landmine use depends on which audiences they rely on most. In a comparative case study of three Philippine rebel groups—the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and the New People’s Army—this article highlights three main findings. First, rebels reliant on voluntary compliance from local communities are more likely to limit the effects of landmines on their perceived constituency. Second, when rebels have conciliatory relations with the government, they are more likely to comply with national law, reciprocate government behavior, and limit the effects of landmines on the government’s constituents. Finally, rebels seeking legitimacy from human-rights-conscious foreign sponsors are more likely to comply with international law related to landmine use. </p>