“This Violence is not Called Conflict”. The Redefinition of the Internal Armed Conflict in Colombia (2002-2010), a View from Amnesty International

Abstract

The period that encompassed the development of the Executive’s policy in Colombia between 2002 and 2010 marked a significant shift in the State’s stance regarding the internal armed conflict. The purpose of this article is to reveal and discuss this change, based on a critical examination of the reports prepared by Amnesty International. To achieve this, the organization’s reports were systematically consulted, and the following variables (persistent information blocks) were extracted: i) references to the promotion and dissemination of paramilitarism as an “ideology.”, ii) alerts regarding State policies related to paramilitarism, and iii) government responses to the organization regarding its work. This content was then contrasted with the bibliography that traditionally addressed the topic. It was concluded that the international organization’s primary concern during these years was related to human rights and their violation within the framework of the Democratic Security Policy. Furthermore, it was the organization’s denunciations that led to the pronounced tension with the Colombian government.