Confidence and Affective Links of Children and Youth Ex-Combatants of the Colombian Armed Conflict
The armed conflict in Colombia has been ongoing for 40 years. Government security forces, opposition revolutionary armed groups (FARC – ELN) and paramilitary groups (AUC) are fighting each other in the midst of civil society, accompanied by widespread human rights abuses, including abuses against children and youth.
A child “associated with an armed group refers to any person below 18 years of age who is or who has been recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity… used as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers, spies or for sexual purposes” (Paris Principles, 2007). Even though there is no agreement among researchers, there are 11,000 presumed members of the guerrilla (FARC-EP, ELN) and paramilitary groups (25% of irregular combatants).
When children and youth leave their armed status, whether through desertion or capture, they acquire a new status of ex-combatants or detached from the war. Until the age of 18, they are under State protection in different types of care programs lead by the ICFB (Colombian Family Welfare Institute). One of these programs is the Foster Care Program jointly implemented with the Universidad de Caldas (Manizales, Colombia).
Guided by relational and constructionist understandings, I am interested in exploring the following question: How might we re-build relationships within the multiple forms of being for children and young ex-combatants who belonged to the Foster Care Program? My Thesis explores the application of a social construction stance to the reintegration process of children and young ex - combatants to civil life. Especially, this study looks for an in-depth comprehension of the relationship reconstruction process due to the broken confidence and affective links during the war.
I aim to examine the reintegration process as a relational reality, which is, as something that happens among people. I am interested in exploring the relational practices that occur between all actors involved in this process (ex-combatants, families, professionals, and researcher). I believe this approach offers an alternative to the modernist discourse (individualistic, pathologizing and depoliticized) that characterize much of the governmental proposals for the reintegration process.
In order to address this task, I will explore the use of qualitative, hermeneutic and dialogical strategies in narrative inquiry. This research process will be guided by the principles of reflexivity, polivocality, transformative dialogue, empowerment research and relational responsibility. This research process opens up possibilities to build the political and ethical significance of the war experiences, not only for boys and girls, but for all of us. Relational metaphors might help our understanding of the reintegration process since such a process depends mainly on: (1) new relationships built with the ex-combatants through unfolding actions; (2) conversations that we can establish from the collaboration and reflection; (3) a collective moral atmosphere that we can build together based on respect, dignity and justice; (4) the possibility of jointly building viable alternatives to civil life with reliable and safe links, and (5) to recognize jointly the possibilities they have to be both ex-combatants and citizens.