What about the FARC?

[The Jay]

Could someone give me a solid leftist opinion of the farc and their views? I've seen the Dining with Terrorists al jazeera interview segment on them and they say that they follow che's example. Is this true?

[Smyg]

No.

[Imposter Marxist]

FARC follows the example of Che's focoist theory, more or less. They've been attempting to overthrow the government of Columbia and gather support. Some will say they use questionable tatics such as kidnapping. They've been accused of drug running, but that generally is claimed by the corrupt Columbian goverment and the FARC have made statements against drugs, and encourage peasants in their territory to grow other crops.

Being a Marxist-Leninist, I support their struggle and the struggle of the Columbian people against Imperialism and Capitalism, which FARC fights both. (The US army actually aids the Columbian forces against FARC)

[Seth]

I don't think they're just an apolitical drug cartel like a lot of media likes to portray them.

[The Jay]

Thx Noth, do you think that they would set up a more cuban style gov't or something more like Venezuela? Basically, do they still know what they're fighting for after twenty years?

[The Jay]

Seth, do you know if they actually have the support of the peasants?

[Seth]

From a thing I read a while back:


Despite it’s mistakes, the FARC has tons of support. During the peace negotiations of 1998-2002, tens of thousands of peasants, small and medium producers, Afro-Colombians, and indigenous Colombians migrated to FARC-EP territory, especially San Vicente del Caguan. Before the negotiations, that region only had 100,000 residents, but after the negotiations ended it was discovered that roughly 740,000 people had migrated to that part of FARC-EP territory. Known journalist Gary Leech said that many peasants like living in rebel territory because it provides security and the chance to build new, community-based projects (Brittain, 31).

[Imposter Marxist]

Thx Noth, do you think that they would set up a more cuban style gov't or something more like Venezuela? Basically, do they still know what they're fighting for after twenty years?


If I had to guess, I'd assume they'd follow more of a cuban example if I had to pick out of the two, but they would mostly likley adapt socialism to their own material conditions.

[Tommy4ever]

I don't think they're just an apolitical drug cartel like a lot of media likes to portray them.

To be fair though, they seem to be pretty much just a vaguely political drug cartel.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Idk what to think about them. I've seen the reports where the FARC sets up health clinics and treats the poor in their small villages for free, and the individual guerillas interviewed seem pretty convinced that they are helping the poor. I doubt they are as bad as the bourgeoisie media makes them seem. I think they are somewhere in between, they may have good intentions, but lack of objective media exposure is making their cause easy to denounce as terrorism.

[OHumanista]

To be fair though, they seem to be pretty much just a vaguely political drug cartel.

Not exactly that but indeed they're that far from it nowadays.
I am brazilian but I've had some contact witn Colombian comrades and most of them seem to think its an initially leftist group that lost their way and started acting much more like a cartel with some remnants of their former ideas.

[Imposter Marxist]

To be fair though, they seem to be pretty much just a vaguely political drug cartel.


Why do you think that, dare I ask? Been reading Times a lot lately?

[KurtFF8]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned James J Brittain's Revolutionary Social Change in Colombia.It's an excellent very in depth account of the FARC and goes through pretty much every conception that there is about it, and provides an in depth answer (and is quite well researched, on top of his having spent time with the FARC I believe).

Here's a MR article by the same author about the FARC. I have not read it, but I'm assuming he makes similar points http://monthlyreview.org/2005/09/01/the-farc-ep-in-colombia-a-revolutionary-exception-in-an-age-of-imperialist-expansion

(Ah I see someone quoted him above, but hopefully my post is still helpful)

[Tommy4ever]

Why do you think that, dare I ask? Been reading Times a lot lately?

Because I have never seen any evidence to the contrary.

[KurtFF8]

Perhaps you should read the link I provided then, or even pick up that book. It presents quite a bit of evidence to the contrary.

[The Jay]

Thanks Kurt that's the kind of evidence basis that I was looking for.

[The Jay]

holy crap it's 100 bucks!

[NoOneIsIllegal]

holy crap it's 100 bucks!
http://www.amazon.com/Revolutionary-Social-Change-Colombia-Direction/dp/074532875X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317143339&sr=8-1

amazon says $30
(you were looking at hardcover, lol)

[KurtFF8]

Yeah I was going to say, I have a copy and certainly didn't spend 100 bucks on it