OneNamedNameLess
30th August 2009, 23:49
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1745000/images/_1746914_eln1502bbc.jpg http://tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:9KjPDRiSBt0k6M:http://magilu.blog.terra.com.co/files/2009/01/eln2.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://magilu.blog.terra.com.co/files/2009/01/eln2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://magilu.blog.terra.com.co/2009/01/19/publican-alinza-hecha-en-2006-entre-ejercito-y-eln-contra-las-farc/&usg=___U3AwJp5_72E3z7TaXOaZgkEvY0=&h=2050&w=3000&sz=802&hl=en&start=36&um=1&tbnid=9KjPDRiSBt0k6M:&tbnh=103&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DELN%2Bpics%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26rl s%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7DKUK_en-GB%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18%26um%3D1)
I know, they look cool and all that. Guns! Wow! Masks! Commies! Great!
In the past few weeks we have discussed the FARC once or twice on the general forums. I thought it would be interesting to initiate a discussion on the rather small armed leftist group known as the ELN.
Some info on the ELN:
FARC and ELN were both founded in the 1960s, after Colombia’s two main political parties ended more than a decade of political violence and agreed to share power. In 1963, students, Catholic radicals, and left-wing intellectuals hoping to emulate Fidel Castro’s communist revolution in Cuba founded ELN. FARC formed in 1965, bringing together communist militants and peasant self-defense groups.
Although ELN is more ideological than FARC, the two groups have similar programs: Both say they represent the rural poor against Colombia’s wealthy classes and oppose U.S. influence in Colombia, the privatization of natural resources, multinational corporations, and rightist violence. In 2006, the ELN decided to shift its political strategy to urban areas. There are indications it would like official political recognition, but it has not stated clearly what such recognition would entail.
The two groups have an ambiguous relationship; in some parts of the country they cooperate, while in others they have clashed directly.
The smaller ELN , which operates mainly in northeastern Colombia, is estimated to have between 2,200 and 3,000 members, which marks a significant reduction in military capability since the late 1990s. Advances by AUC paramilitaries, competition with the FARC, and more aggressive government security forces all contribute to the ELN ’s weakening. Several ELN units are trained for special operations, however, and are skilled in explosive weapons manufacturing.
The FARC and ELN cooperate in some parts of the country, but armed clashes have occurred between the two groups in other areas.
The ELN 's primary income source is also drug trafficking, a shift from the ransom or "protection" payments that accounted for much of its funding in the 1980s, and the kidnappings that produced revenue in the 1990s. Colombian government sources believe this latest shift occurred between 2005 and 2007, which coincides with increased ELN activity on the Pacific coast and Venezuelan border, coca-growing regions, and drug-trafficking zones.
The ELN, which is also known for kidnapping wealthy Colombians for ransom, uses bombing campaigns and extortion against multinational and domestic oil companies. ELN attacks on oil pipelines have killed civilians and drawn the attention of the Bush administration, which has suggested training the Colombian armed forces to protect oil facilities.
There is evidence the FARC and the ELN are also involved in kidnappings across the border in Venezuela (WashPost) (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021202762.html). According to the Venezuelan government, 382 people were taken hostage in 2007, up from 232 the previous year.
I suggest you have a read as people are not as familiar with the ELN as they are with the FARC.
So how do you feel about the ELN? Do you support them? I'm just attempting to trigger a general discussion here and hopefully attaract more information on the organisation.
I know, they look cool and all that. Guns! Wow! Masks! Commies! Great!
In the past few weeks we have discussed the FARC once or twice on the general forums. I thought it would be interesting to initiate a discussion on the rather small armed leftist group known as the ELN.
Some info on the ELN:
FARC and ELN were both founded in the 1960s, after Colombia’s two main political parties ended more than a decade of political violence and agreed to share power. In 1963, students, Catholic radicals, and left-wing intellectuals hoping to emulate Fidel Castro’s communist revolution in Cuba founded ELN. FARC formed in 1965, bringing together communist militants and peasant self-defense groups.
Although ELN is more ideological than FARC, the two groups have similar programs: Both say they represent the rural poor against Colombia’s wealthy classes and oppose U.S. influence in Colombia, the privatization of natural resources, multinational corporations, and rightist violence. In 2006, the ELN decided to shift its political strategy to urban areas. There are indications it would like official political recognition, but it has not stated clearly what such recognition would entail.
The two groups have an ambiguous relationship; in some parts of the country they cooperate, while in others they have clashed directly.
The smaller ELN , which operates mainly in northeastern Colombia, is estimated to have between 2,200 and 3,000 members, which marks a significant reduction in military capability since the late 1990s. Advances by AUC paramilitaries, competition with the FARC, and more aggressive government security forces all contribute to the ELN ’s weakening. Several ELN units are trained for special operations, however, and are skilled in explosive weapons manufacturing.
The FARC and ELN cooperate in some parts of the country, but armed clashes have occurred between the two groups in other areas.
The ELN 's primary income source is also drug trafficking, a shift from the ransom or "protection" payments that accounted for much of its funding in the 1980s, and the kidnappings that produced revenue in the 1990s. Colombian government sources believe this latest shift occurred between 2005 and 2007, which coincides with increased ELN activity on the Pacific coast and Venezuelan border, coca-growing regions, and drug-trafficking zones.
The ELN, which is also known for kidnapping wealthy Colombians for ransom, uses bombing campaigns and extortion against multinational and domestic oil companies. ELN attacks on oil pipelines have killed civilians and drawn the attention of the Bush administration, which has suggested training the Colombian armed forces to protect oil facilities.
There is evidence the FARC and the ELN are also involved in kidnappings across the border in Venezuela (WashPost) (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021202762.html). According to the Venezuelan government, 382 people were taken hostage in 2007, up from 232 the previous year.
I suggest you have a read as people are not as familiar with the ELN as they are with the FARC.
So how do you feel about the ELN? Do you support them? I'm just attempting to trigger a general discussion here and hopefully attaract more information on the organisation.