Forced displacement in Colombia: obstacles to safe resettlement through the framework of the Land Restitution Program

By 2014, Colombia had the second largest number of forcibly displaced people inside its borders, only surpassed by Syria (NRC and IDMC, 2015). More than 50 years of internal war has left over 5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking restitution, reparation, and safe resettlement. In 2011, the National Government of Colombia, and the Senate, approved Law 1448 to assist IDPs. One of the strategic policies associated with the law was the Land Restitution Program (LRP). This paper explores the obstacles faced by IDPs in Colombia in terms of resettlement including the capabilities and limitations of the LRP. Ultimately it argues that security issues fail to guarantee a safe return and non-repetition of displacement, and therefore the National Government of Colombia must establish a framework for a suitable durable solution in order to uphold the rights of this forcibly displaced population