This comic tells the story of Jessica, a social leader living in Putumayo on Colombia’s border with Ecuador, where many farmers grow coca
Three things Jessica’s story tells us about coca growing, violence and development in Colombia
Jessica’s story spotlights the stigmatisation and violence associated with coca farming, as well as the welfare benefits and development it brings to families and communities – it’s a story of hardship, resilience and tough trade-offs.
In the world’s forgotten borderlands, the drug trade helps people survive – but at a cost
Conventional thinking about illicit drugs, development and violence are deeply flawed, here’s why.
Colombia faces a second deadly threat
Alongside COVID-19, violent forced eradication of illicit crops is taking its toll. A new database is documenting that on-going violence.
Drugs, development and violence in war-to-peace transitions
This policy brief shares insights from seven conflict- and drug-affected borderlands in Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar, and reflects on their implications for those supporting peace processes, poverty alleviation and development in fragile contexts affected by drugs.
Voices from the borderlands 2020
Insights into how illicit drugs – and drug policies – impact the dynamics of violence and peace, poverty and development, and insecurity and resilience.
Una conversación sobre erradicación forzada, PNIS y los acuerdos con campesinos cultivadores de cultivos de uso ilícito
This video is currently only available in Spanish. Entrevista virtuale con Pedro Arenas, investigador de la Corporación Viso Mutop.
Erradicación forzada: una política que mata
Un especial multimedia sobre los incidentes en medio de las labores de erradicación forzada manual. English version coming soon!
Rebels-turned-narcos? The FARC-EP’s political involvement in Colombia’s cocaine economy
This paper challenges the ‘rebels-turned-narcos’ premise by showing why involvement in the illicit drug economy, on its own, is insufficient evidence to posit the depoliticisation of an insurgent group.
Forced eradication: a policy that kills
Making visible incidents of violence and confrontation related to Colombia’s forced eradication of illicit crops policy.
Las Guardias Cimarronas y su rol en el control territorial del norte del Cauca
This video is currently only available in Spanish. Entrevista virtuale con Victor Hugo Moreno Mina, uno de los líderes de estas guardias del norte del Cauca en Colombia.
Adapting Drugs & (dis)order to the COVID-19 pandemic
From home-working and research activities to altered politics. Here’s how we’re adapting to new circumstances.
El PNIS en terreno: Voces del campesinado cocalero
Los principales hallazgos obtenidos de la encuesta aplicada a usuarios del Programa Nacional Integral de Sustitución de cultivos de uso ilícito (PNIS) en los municipios de Tumaco y Puerto Asís. Currently only available in Spanish.
After coca, what? Colombia’s failing illicit crop substitution programme
Coca farmers are wanting to engage with the national illicit crop substitution programme. But patience is wearing thin. They need viable alternatives, now.
Ana Maria Arjona on illicit drugs and public engagement in Colombia
Ana Maria Arjona, former director of CESED at the Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia talks about the importance of policy and public engagement for transforming illicit drug economies into sustainable peacetime economies.
The intimidation and assassination of social leaders: Colombia’s other pandemic
Social leader Marco Rivadeneira was murdered during the COVID-19 mayhem – intimidation has not ceased as has been reported.
Camilo Acero Vargas on tough trade-offs for Colombia’s coca farmers
Camilo Acero Vargas, Political Scientist at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia talks about the positive and negative impacts of coca economies for farmers.
Francisco Gutierrez on the war on drugs and the politicisation of evidence
Francisco Gutierrez from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, talks about how issues related to drugs and conflict, and how best to tackle illicit economies, are not only about policy, but also about politics.
Literature review on illegal drugs in Latin America
A summary of academic literature on illegal drugs in Latin America published in 2018.
States, markets and violence in drug-affected borderlands
Experts share insights from fieldwork in the drug-affected borderlands of Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar at the SOAS Development Studies Seminar.