Rebel Rulers : Insurgent Governance and Civilian Life During War

"Rebel Rulers skillfully blends theoretical insights into the factors that explain effective governance with rich ethnographic research to produce a thought-provoking analysis of how rebels (attempt) to govern the populations under their control." Journal of Politics Rebel groups are often portrayed as predators, their leaders little more than warlords. In conflicts large and small, however, insurgents frequently take and hold territory, establishing sophisticated systems of governance that deliver extensive public services to civilians under their control. From police and courts, schools, hospitals, and taxation systems to more symbolic expressions such as official flags and anthems, some rebels are able to appropriate functions of the modern state, often to great effect in generating civilian compliance. Other insurgent organizations struggle to provide even the most basic services and suffer from the local unrest and international condemnation that result. Rebel Rulers is informed by Zachariah Cherian Mampilly's extensive fieldwork in rebel-controlled areas. Focusing on three insurgent organizationsthe Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) in Congo, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in SudanMampilly's comparative analysis shows that rebel leaders design governance systems in response to pressures from three main sources. They must take into consideration the needs of local civilians, who can challenge rebel rule in various ways. They must deal with internal factions that threaten their control. And they must respond to the transnational actors that operate in most contemporary conflict zones. The development of insurgent governments can benefit civilians even as they enable rebels to assert control over their newly attained and sometimes chaotic territories. Rebel groups are often portrayed as predators, their leaders little more than warlords. In conflicts large and small, however, insurgents frequently take and hold territory, establishing sophisticated systems of governance that deliver extensive public services to civilians under their control. From police and courts, schools, hospitals, and taxation systems to more symbolic expressions such as official flags and anthems, some rebels are able to appropriate functions of the modern state, often to great effect in generating civilian compliance. Other insurgent organizations struggle to provide even the most basic services and suffer from the local unrest and international condemnation that result. Rebel Rulers is informed by Zachariah Cherian Mampilly's extensive fieldwork in rebel-controlled areas. Focusing on three insurgent organizations-the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka, the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) in Congo, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in Sudan-Mampilly's comparative analysis shows that rebel leaders design governance systems in response to pressures from three main sources. They must take into consideration the needs of local civilians, who can challenge rebel rule in various ways. They must deal with internal factions that threaten their control. And they must respond to the transnational actors that operate in most contemporary conflict zones. The development of insurgent governments can benefit civilians even as they enable rebels to assert control over their newly attained and sometimes chaotic territories. From book jacket Contents......Page 7 List of Illustrations......Page 9 Preface......Page 11 List of Abbreviations......Page 19 1. Introduction: Governing Rebels......Page 25 2. Bandits, Warlords, Embryonic States, Black Spots, and Ungoverned Territories: The Unwieldy Taxonomy of Rebel-Governed Areas......Page 49 3. Understanding Variation in Insurgent Governance Systems......Page 72 4. The Two Faces of the Tiger: Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam......Page 117 5. Building a New Sudan: The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army......Page 153 6. Resurrecting Bula Matari: The Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma......Page 191 7. Comparative Insurgent Governance......Page 233 8. Rules and Resistance: New Agendas for Studying Insurgency and Governance......Page 255 Appendix: Interview Methodology and List of Interviewees......Page 281 References......Page 289 Index......Page 305 Introduction : Governing Rebels -- Bandits, Warlords, Embryonic States, Black Spots, And Ungoverned Territories : The Unwieldy Taxonomy Of Rebel-governed Areas -- Understanding Variation In Insurgent Governance Systems -- The Two Faces Of The Tiger : Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam -- Building A New Sudan : The Sudan People's Liberation Movement/army -- Resurrecting Bula Matari : The Rassemblement Congolais Pour La Démocratie-goma -- Comparative Insurgent Governance -- Rules And Resistance : New Agendas For Studying Insurgency And Governance. Zachariah Cherian Mampilly. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.