Abstract
This paper is interested in the peacebuilding strategies used by human rights defenders (HRDs) in Colombia. In particular, it looks at those strategies used by three peasant communities to establish control over their territory. These communities were created by internally displaced peasants to protect civilians, to challenge the power structures that sustain the conflict, and eventually, to build peace. The paper argues that the spatial dimension is key to accounting for the success of peasant communities in protecting their territory, claiming their rights and growing as a community.