Shining path, farc, eln

[CHEtheLIBERATOR]

I'm still trying to figure out what is going on with these groups. Shining Path seems like it's divided up; portions are drug smugglers where some still are waging the peoples war.

Farc and ELN I just dont understand. The are "Marxist" but kidnap peasantry and sell drugs? I havent heard anything of them recently making any offensive against the government, so are they just a cartel now?

somone please give me evidence to the contrary, or explain this to me

[RedSonRising]

Colombia Journal has very good objective analysis. It documents the horrendous crimes of the state, but also details the controversial activities of the FARC and ELN without making excuses for them. The most comperehensive book on the FARC itself is the one by James Brittain. I talk about my own experiences talking with people in Colombia about the FARC in the "News from the Colombian Revolution" thread. You can read these different sources and decide for yourself.

http://colombiajournal.org/


I'm not very educated about the Sendero Luminoso, but from what I've read they don't have substantial support in much of the country outside of their controlled regions. I was kind of with a girl who grew up in a very poor part of rural Peru, she said the Sendero Luminoso initiated a lot of violence and kidnapped civilians from the region, and has vivid memories of there being bodies everywhere resulting from the violence.