From Cantonments to Settlements: Lessons for Reintegration of Former Combatants from the Colombian Peace Process

Temporary collective relocation of former combatants in cantonments plays a vital role in Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) programmes. Existing research emphasizes the necessity of implementing limited-duration cantonments to mitigate potential security dilemmas. The 2016 Peace A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International peacekeeping (London, England) England), 2024-10, Vol.31 (5), p.599-637
Main Author: Barrios Sabogal, Laura Camila
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Armed forces
Arms control & disarmament
Colombia
Colonies & territories
Community
Conflict
DDR
Ethnography
FARC-EP
Land ownership
Local economy
Long term
Ownership
Peace
Peace negotiations
Peace treaties
peacebuilding
Rehabilitation
reintegration
Relocation
Security
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Summary:Temporary collective relocation of former combatants in cantonments plays a vital role in Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) programmes. Existing research emphasizes the necessity of implementing limited-duration cantonments to mitigate potential security dilemmas. The 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) provides a unique experience, deviating from conventional practices by maintaining cantonments over an extended period, with some evolving into permanent settlements. What are the effects of this strategy on community-based reintegration? Drawing upon original data from interviews, ethnographic observation, and surveys conducted in conflict-affected communities, this paper compares two cases: a cantonment successfully transformed into a permanent settlement and another initially promising cantonment that ultimately failed to achieve permanence. This study argues that long-term cantonments contribute to community-based reintegration benefiting former combatants and receiving communities by maintaining internal cohesion, supporting the local economy, and rebuilding the social fabric in conflict-affected territories. However, specific conditions, particularly land ownership and security, are crucial for such a development. Without these conditions, long-term cantonments face the risk of being closed or relocated, threatening peacebuilding outcomes. The displacement of ex-combatants to other territories hinders community access to the benefits offered by the collective reintegration process.
ISSN:1353-3312
1743-906X
DOI:10.1080/13533312.2024.2391765