Territorial peace: development and governance in the Colombian post-conflict scenario : seed of hope from the Cauca region

Abstract

The Concept of Territorial Peace, introduced by the High Commissioner of Peace, Sergio Jaramillo, during the peace talks between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -FARC- has boosted the discussion on peacebuilding in the country. First, it has confirmed the necessity of assuming a differentiated approach for the implementation of policies for peace, according to the spatial, temporal, geographical, economical, political and cultural heterogeneity of the territories. Second, it has emphasized that peace goes beyond than stopping the war and that it is urgent to solve the structural causes of it, rooted in the agrarian question, inequality, and deprivation of fundamental rights. Third, it has highlighted the need for recognizing local initiatives to build a new alliance between the State and the communities through the active participation and construction of peace from below. The development of this concept during the first days of implementation of the Peace Agreements in one of the most intricate and vulnerable departments of the country, Cauca, showed the complexity of putting those ideas into practice. However, in the midst of the challenges and obstacles, great potential has been identified at the local level, as well as expectations and hopes on its progress. The work carried out by civil society organizations has created alternative institutions that should be the basis to work in a joint proposal for the future. Territorial Peace is thus a window of opportunity for peace, development, and democracy, assuming government and society commitment with what has been agreed and achieved until now. Key Words: Territorial Peace, Transitional Justice, Peacebuilding, Territorial Development, Participation, Governance, Colombia, Cauca.