Security in Transition: Police Reform in El Salvador and South Africa
Abstract
This thesis studies police reform in El Salvador and South Africa. While both countries differ considerably in geographic size culture location population and economic and military strength they share common security concerns. Under authoritarian rule their primary security concerns were not military threats from other states but rather internal threats due to economic political and social weakness. Civilian police forces became highly politicized and militarized incapable of controlling crime lacking accountability and oversight and exhibiting total disregard for human rights. This thesis compares El Salvador and South Africa two cases of negotiated war transitions. Although both counties faced similar militarization of internal security forces South Africa seemed in a much better position to face challenges of consolidation. First South Africa's military did not pose any opposition to police reform because the military and police had a long history of being organizationally separated. In contrast, El Salvador's police had a history of being controlled and directed by the military and they fell organizationally under the Defense Ministry. Second in South Africa the opposition group (ANC) rather than the rightist government won the foundational elections. Increased domestic support for internal security reform is more likely as the previous rightist government is discredited. Conversely in El Salvador the rightist ARENA government won the foundational elections indicating that it would more likely lead to lack of domestic support. The continuance of power would likely mean that the government would prefer the continuance of status quo to far-reaching reform. Finally the international community was available to aid in the implementation and consolidation of reform in both countries. However, because domestic support was likely to be greater in South Africa, the international community's ability to influence the implementation of reform would also be greater.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404711
Entities
People
- Nicole L. Desilets-bixler
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School