On February 25, 2009, the Latin American Program Joined with the Inter-American Dialogue

Frank Pearl, Colombia's High Commissioner for Social and Economic Reintegration

February 25, 2009

On February 25, 2009, the Latin American Program joined with the Inter-American Dialogue to explore the successes and challenges faced by Colombia in reintegrating ex-combatants into society. Frank Pearl, Colombia’s High Commissioner for Social and Economic Reintegration,[1] provided an overview of the demobilization process: out of the 50,000 ex-combatants that have demobilized in the past six-and-a-half years, 35,000 did so as a result of the negotiations with former paramilitary groups and 15,000 did so on an individual basis. For the most part, the demobilized are young people with an average age of 26, low levels of education, and inadequate social ties.

Pearl highlighted the four principal objectives that Colombia seeks to achieve: 1) that participants comply with justice; 2) that ex-combatants return to their families in a constructive manner; 3) that ex-combatants acquire skills in order to build their capabilities as citizens; and 4) that the ex-combatants become good citizens. Pearl emphasized that truth and reparation are key to the legitimacy of the demobilization process.

In recent years, Pearl explained, the focus of government efforts has shifted from reinsertion to reintegration. Reinsertion consisted of short-term programs of one to two years, consisting primarily of monetary aid; the key relationship in these programs was solely between the demobilized combatants and the government. The reintegration approach is different, Pearl argued, in that it recognizes the long-term nature of the process. It consists of reeducating people that come from a culture of violence and extending the relationships to the broader community.

According to Pearl, long-term community-based reintegration is a key element in the overall reintegration strategy. Given that 18-19 million of Colombia’s poor have never been a part of an illegal armed group, the challenge is to conduct a process that is perceived as fair and not biased toward ex-combatants solely. Through educational and civic programs, Colombia has been able to engage interest groups, formerly opposed to reintegration, and involve them in community-based projects. These projects, along with training in civic values, allow Colombians to reconcile other points of views and understand the causes of violence without justifying it. Sustainability is another key element of reintegration, Pearl argued; such sustainability comes from legitimacy, not from financial resources. If Colombians understand that the process is necessary and has been crafted to be as fair as possible, than it can gain support among the general population.

Pearl cited reintegration’s successes to date, noting the creation of a basic infrastructure with 39 offices throughout the country and over 750 professionals in the field engaged in policy implementation. Ex-combatants have broad access to both health and education, with 22,000 currently completing either their elementary or high school education and 12,000 completing vocational training. Pearl acknowledged, however, that the main challenge of the process is and will be economic reintegration, especially over the next few years as participants complete their studies, graduate from the system, and seek gainful employment. Pearl stressed the need for more active participation from the private sector. The best investment companies can make, he argued, is an investment in peace.

[1] Pearl was named Colombia’s High Commissioner for Peace in March, 2009.