Las FARC?

[Einkarl]

Does the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army actually benefit the peasantry and workers of Colombia or are they simply a criminal force that waves a red flag and pretends to be interested in revolutionary activity?

It seems that the FARC's tendency to kidnap and hold not only political prisoners but also seemingly innocent civilians isn't a strategy that a group whose goal is to liberate a nation from an oppressive capitalist government would take. The FARC is also involved in dealings with the bourgeois drug cartels in Colombia which is not only suspicious but clearly conflicts with the ultimate goal of socialism.

[Red Commissar]

Problem with the FARC is something that all rebel groups run into at some point- how do you fund your operations? Even if you have dedicated members who are willing to forgo luxuries and wants, you still need to be able to feed them, shelter them, and more importantly procure weaponry. With the lack of any appreciable outside support is inevitable that they'd degrade to this point to survive if they don't have villages they can lean on for supplies like guerrilla groups do elsewhere.

As to whether or not they are genuine in their efforts anymore that depends on who you ask. They began with a goal in mind, but nowadays I don't really think they have much influence among the rural poor any longer, as they have willingly worked with the government to flush out FARC members. It is worth noting though the government pursues FARC with more energy than they do with the anti-FARC right wing paramilitaries who devolved into drug cartels, and frankly make up a far bigger share of that criminal enterprise than FARC can lay claim to.

[skitty]

Einkarl, you might look into the Fellowship of Reconciliation and their accompanyment? project. They also have a nice little booklet called What's Land Got To Do With It?.

[nativeabuse]

There is an excellent documentary I would recommend people interested in FARC, it's called A Jail In Colombia, title says it all, it's on youtube, google for it(I don't have enough posts to post the link)

Basically the prison is ran 100% by the two warring factions FARC on one wing and whatever the Rightist drug dealing group is called on the other, and the prison guards basically just monitor the walls outside the prison in a extremely hands off way, think Escape From New York style. And no I'm not joking.

FARC charges for rent, taxes, protection, food, ect INSIDE the prison. If you still think they give one shit about poor people or anything but making money and selling drugs by the end of this documentary it's because you watched it with your eyes closed.

Honestly I think that all the revolutionary aspects of the group drifted away years ago and now it is nothing but drugs.