Peace without Guarantees: The Murder of Leaders of Restitution and Substitution of Crops for Illicit Use in Colombia

Abstract

The article analyzes the assassination of social leaders based on the study of two 'propeacepolicies', land restitution, and the program of substitution of illicit crops (pnis).We argue that the violence against these leaders is related to participatory designs thatpromoted both policies and that neither considered strong local and national oppositionsin their implementation nor were they consistent enough to implement the necessarymechanisms to protect the lives of leaders. To support this proposition, the article usesdata from the Observatory of Restitution and Regulation of Agrarian Property Rightson the murder of leaders in Colombia. In addition, it makes a detailed review of theinstitutional designs of restitution and substitution based on information from the press,secondary literature, and interviews with leaders of these policies. We conclude thatthe implementation of restitution and substitution did not imply a realignment of stateagencies at the territorial level, nor did it redesign counterinsurgency policies thatidentified leaders as targets of attack.