The FARC in Colombia

The following article was written by my son. It's important to put a face on "terrorists" and understand their aspirations . . . This article was published in the St. Augustine Record:

The FARC in Colombia

The struggle in Colombia began in the late 1940s when a popular group stood up to the Colombian oligarchy and the corrupt military dictatorship that perpetuated the interests of Colombia’s ruling class.

After a cruel civil war, the rebels, together with dissident members of the Liberal and Communist parties, established their own independent republics deep in the south of the country where they established peaceful, communal, peasant-based settlements founded on socialist ideology.

It was only after 1964, when the US-Colombian military waged a devastating napalm attack against them that the survivors expanded their agenda into a nationwide Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) to defend its communities, its schools, judicial system, health care, and agrarian economy.

In 1984, Colombian President Betancur initiated cease-fire negotiations based on recognition of the FARC as a legitimate political party, the Unión Patriótica. The political goal was to lead Colombia to a peaceful democratic juncture independent of neo-liberal and imperialist expansion. Peace accords were signed.

The Patriotic Union party espoused anti-corruption policies, harsh penalties against narco-traffickers, and progressive land and economic reforms. But, as they won more municipal and national elections, its members became targets of right-wing death squads and paramilitary organizations that incorporated counter-insurgency strategies. Since 1984, at least 5,000 Unión Patriótica members, including presidential candidates, mayors, and legislators, were murdered or disappeared. The consequence was the formation of a broad-based, national, clandestine movement, "Bolivarian Movement for a New Colombia." And yes, they held hostages as shields. The aggressors had satellite surveillance, drones, fighter aircraft, night vision, communications, napalm, etc.: they were poor farmers with barely a pair of shoes. Holding hostages was their only hope of survival.

When Colombian President Andrés Pastrana offered the insurgents a land deal in 1998, the FARC released several hundred hostages. But at the end of the day, the negotiations went nowhere: peace talks grew increasingly more frustrating and desperate FARC fighters carried out a series of brutal attacks.

President Uribe, President of Colombia since 2002, is one of the best friends and partners the U.S. has in South America. His hard line against the FARC is portrayed by Washington as a bulwark for democracy. After Afghanistan and Iraq, Colombia is the third largest recipient of U.S. counterinsurgency aid. Uribe has consistently set unacceptable peace terms and has ratcheted up offensive military actions. Colombia's insurgency war is now in its forty-third year, with no end in sight.

Rather than lump the FARC into that vague group of “terrorists,” I would suggest that we might be on a road to peace if we would recognize the FARC as a legitimate revolutionary group with a political agenda. Political conflict cannot be resolved by simply bombing and demonizing the other side. Dialogue is the only way to bring this movement into the democratic process.

Jo visited Venezual in January and February of this year. On his return he documented his imprssions of the Bolivarian Revolution and U.S. policy in the area in a comprehensive report that can be found here.