Alternative Forms of Civilian Noncooperation with Armed Groups: The Case of Samaniego in Colombia

This chapter explores the nonviolent efforts by residents of the Colombian municipality of Samaniego to limit armed actors’ abuses. Civilians in this locality engaged in a process of noncooperation, refusing to collaborate with all warring parties present in their territory. We analyse this process using a typology of three forms of noncooperation—unilateral, pacted and oblique—and argue that, at the macro level, this case can be considered one of pacted noncooperation as it combined civil resistance with negotiation. However, when looking within the case and exploring its evolution, we find that the population complemented and reinforced this strategy with oblique and unilateral tactics. This combination helped civilians to sustain and strengthen their noncooperation efforts. By engaging in careful within-case analysis, this chapter provides a nuanced understanding of the Samaniego campaign and shows that types of noncooperation are not fixed over time and tactics are not mutually exclusive.