Self-defense Committees Against Crime in Pataz

Abstract

This article analyzes the security situation in the province of Pataz, La Libertad region, marked by the expansion of illegal mining, the presence of organized crime, and structural violence. Based on a historical and operational review, the role of Self-Defense Committees (SDCs) as legitimate community security structures is examined. Their role in the fight against terrorism during the era of terrorist violence in Peru, their subsequent deactivation, and their potential usefulness in the current context are described. The experience of the 13th Motorized Infantry Battalion in Tayabamba (2002) is presented as a case study, which demonstrated the effectiveness of coordination between the Armed Forces, the Peruvian National Police, and SDCs, even without a declared state of emergency. Through an analysis of the regulatory framework, specifically Law No. 31494, legal gaps are identified that limit the formal reactivation of these structures. The article proposes the legal, technical, and strategic reactivation of SDCs in strategic rural areas as a complement to state action. In addition, an expanded national security agenda is presented with structural measures in defense, justice, technology, and territorial governance, articulated from a multisectoral perspective and with citizen participation.