Making Peace or Doing Justice - A case study of the Colombian peace process 2012-2016 with regards to the dilemma of peace versus justice

Abstract: This thesis analyzes the way peace and justice interact within the latest Colombian peace process between 2012-2016. This process was the first attempts at ending hostilities between the government and the FARC-EP in a decade. This thesis is carried out as an idea analysis of three different material categories: joint material from peace-negotiations, and materials attributed to the government or the FARC-EP separately. The material is examined through transitional justice theory with the aim to determine whether there are tensions between peace and justice in the Colombian peace process. The analysis is divided into two parts. First, the material is analyzed with regards to contextual factors that have relevance for how peace and justice interact. Second, in correspondence with the idea analysis, four dimensions structure the analysis on peace and justice specifically. These are: retributive justice, restorative justice, negative peace, and positive peace. The thesis found that some aspect aspects of justice relax or heighten the tension with peace. In the case of Colombia retributive justice heightens tensions, and restorative justice relaxes tensions.