1 Land Redistribution in Times of Conflict

Land is an important asset and redistribution of land is a sensitive subject in Colombia. Land issues in Colombia are complex and include political, social and economic aspects. Due to an on-going conflict people are being denied access to land. In Colombia there are between 3.3 and 4.9 million internally displaced persons that have been deprived of land. In a country where many base livelihoods on land, displacement cause severe effects. With a new Victims ’ Law introduced in 2010, the Colombian government intends to address issues of displacement. A case study method has been used to examine if redistribution of land can function in times of conflict. In order to answer the question we used a theoretical framework involving land redistribution, property rights and legal empowerment. In a context where land rights are being neglected and not protected, land redistribution faces challenges. The internal conflict have damaged the efficiency and reach of institutions, which hinders institutional reforms. When there are not sufficient institutions to assur