The Illegal Self-defense Groups: Cause or Symptom of the Disorder?

The guerrillas are not alone in using violence to control territory. As their presence and power have expanded, so have the illegal selfdefense organizations, also known as paramilitaries, dedicated to eradicating the insurgency. The autodefensas, or self-defense groups, are the third party in Colombia’s three-sided civil conflict.1 Local armed self-defense groups have developed throughout Colombia’s history with varying degrees of government sanction during periods of turmoil and armed conflict. During the period of la violencia, many localities organized armed formations to defend themselves against bandits and political armed bands.