"The whole team were very emotional on the last day. The process was successful and it went peacefully, we were very happy everything went well," said UNMIS Associate DDR Officer Chandrasekhar Pakala.

The last 29 participants consisted of special needs groups, including the disabled, the elderly and women associated with armed forces.

"The final day, there were many women with small babies and we managed to close the site before 1 p.m.," said Mr. Pakala. "The SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) gave us very good support at both the assembly area and demobilization site."

Lasting a period of nine months, the demobilization process included rigorous verification of the participants' identities, collation of disarmament data, medical examinations, issuing of identity cards and counseling.

The demobilization team is now preparing to move to another area. "We are preparing to start DDR again in another area, where we will re-use these tents, extra materials and equipment," said Mr. Pakala. "With the lessons we have learnt at this site we should be much faster and better organized."

The next step for demobilized ex-combatants is reintegration training. The German Technical Cooperation and UN Food and Agriculture Organization will implement the three-month training.

After the training, ex-combatants are expected to begin new livelihoods in paid employment, as entrepreneurs and farmers, or in other jobs.

Some 5,800 ex-combatants have to date been demobilized in Southern Sudan. The joint DDR teams hope that the target of 20,000 demobilized ex-combatants will be achieved by the 2011 referenda (in Southern Sudan on whether to remain united with the north or secede, and in Abyei on whether to join the North or Southern Sudan).

Reintegration registration and training is currently ongoing in Rumbek.