ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the risks faced by human rights defenders who have been affected by Colombia’s armed conflict as well as in other spaces of social contestation, taking into account the country’s recent peace process and the protection infrastructure presently available. Drawing upon the experiences of campesino (small farmers), indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, the chapter argues for the need to move beyond individual protection measures to the protection of collectives and communities. Communities involved in the defence of their territories are concerned not only about the loss of their lands, but the loss of their identities, histories and ways of life. Strategies to protect themselves include the creation of community-based organisations and support networks, the formation of neutral zones, the reliance on cultural institutions such as the Indigenous Guard, and the welcoming of international accompaniment. Secondly, it critically analyses the workings of the National Protection Unit (Unidad Nacional de Proteccion, UNP), the Colombian protection mechanism for human rights defenders at risk. Defenders highlight the inadequacies of the measures provided to them, including their intrusiveness, inappropriateness and over-emphasis on physical security. Finally, the chapter examines the significance of impunity. State complicity with perpetrators and the failure to prevent and investigate attacks have resulted in deep distrust amongst human rights defenders of state authorities. Defenders highlight the need to address these deep-rooted, structural problems for genuine protection to exist.
