Shining Path

[Karl Marx's Camel]

What is your view on the Shining Path?

Where can I find some useful information on them?

What is their estimated strength?

[violencia.Proletariat]

i thought they had fallen apart since their leader got captured in the early nineties but some guerillas just killed 8 or so cops this past week. check the bbc for that story.

[WUOrevolt]

My view of them is negative.

[WUOrevolt]

Profile: Peru's Shining Path

Villagers were often killed by Shining Path rebels
In its heyday in the 1980s, the Shining Path was the most formidable rebel movement in Latin America, waging a brutal war with the Peruvian state.
Not only did the Maoist group control large areas of the countryside but it also struck at targets in the capital, Lima, prompting fears it could eventually take over the country.

Some 70,000 died in the rebellion and the counter-insurgency campaign it triggered.

The violence only abated after Shining Path leader Abimael Guzman was captured in 1992. He is now being retried in a civilian court, 12 years after his initial sentencing by military judges.

Maoist movement

Guzman formed the movement in the 1970s, inspired by Mao's Cultural Revolution in China.

SHINING PATH
Maoist movement formed by Abimael Guzman in the 1970s
Launched insurgency in rural areas in 1980
70,000 killed in terror and counter-terror campaigns
Guzman arrested and sentenced by military panel in 1992
Movement weakened and confined to jungle areas

He launched the war against the government in 1980, burning ballot boxes on the eve of the first democratic election in 12 years.

Striving to establish a perfect, communist state, the Shining Path imposed its ruthless rule on the rural area it seized, killing villagers suspected of siding with the government.

In 2003 a government commission blamed the Sendero Luminoso - as the group is known in Spanish - for 54% of the violent deaths caused by the civil war.

The worst atrocities included the killing of 69 villagers in 1983, and a van bombing that killed about 20 people in Lima in July 1992.

However two months later Guzman was captured in the capital, along with six other rebel leaders.

He was swiftly tried behind closed doors by a military court, and sentenced to life imprisonment - which dealt a decisive blow to the movement.

However in 2003 Peru's constitutional court struck down the anti-terror laws enacted under former President Alberto Fujimori.

This resulted in Guzman's sentence being overturned, and a civilian trial was launched.

Coca focus

With Guzman gone - and belatedly calling for a ceasefire - the Shining Path saw it membership dwindle. By 1994 about 6,000 guerrillas had surrendered under a government amnesty programme.

In the mid-1990s guerrilla leader Oscar Ramirez Durand attempted to spearhead a resurgence of the movement.


Guzman was paraded in a cage after his arrest in 1992
But Mr Ramirez - alias Feliciano - could only count on the backing of a few hundred men.

The rump faction of the Shining Path was largely confined to jungle regions in eastern Peru.

Mr Ramirez was in turn captured in 1999, and is now facing civilian judges, alongside Guzman and other Shining Path leaders.

The movement was further weakened in September 2004, when police arrested 17 members, and clearly no longer has the power to undermine the Peruvian state.

Its biggest recent actions include a car bomb in Lima in 2002 and a 2003 kidnapping.

The group's focus now seems to be on coca farmers - defending them against possible government intervention.

President Alejandro Toledo has not taken the kind of direct action seen in neighbouring Bolivia, where the army were sent in to destroy coca fields.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3985659.stm

[Janus]

My view of Shining Path is quite negative. I believe that most of their policies were misdirected and that they engineered their own collapse. Shining Path considered itself a Maoist organization but destroyed any hope of peasant support when they began attacking the peasants themselves. This lead the pesants to form independent armed groups called rondas with government support in order to deter Shining Path violence. Also, the personality cult of Guzman was extremely misdirected. He not only killed anyone who didn't agree with him but also held total power within the party. Therefore, when he was captured in 1992, this resulted in a crippling loss for Shining Path. Since then, they have become politically insignificant as the government has continued to apply the pressure against them. This recent attack and killing of 9 police officers doesn't actually reveal any type of resurgence of this group. It was probably just an independent action carried out by a group of Shining Path members.

[rioters bloc]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 05:06 AM
What is your view on the Shining Path?

Where can I find some useful information on them?

What is their estimated strength?
not a fan - but then, i don't know all that much about them. as CQ said, they are a maoist organisation but have little support from the peasants, mainly because of their lack of respect towards them. SL also killed a number of leftist organisers and unionists etc for their own poilitcal gain rather than for real revolutionary goals, and overall killed something like 60 000 - 90 000 people over a few decades. i'm not entirely sure how strong they are but i have read that in the 80s when they were at their peak they had at the most only 200 or so active members, which makes the number of people they killed even more insane.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Rioters Bloc, where do you get your numbers? Wherever it is, I suggest you stop using it as a source.

The CVR, which was founded by the Peruvian government itself, only claims 12,561 people were killed by Sendero Luminoso ("the Shining Path"). And at their peak, they had several thousand members, not 200. They have 200 or more now.

And on Sendero .. the group of people that carried out the recent attacks was probably Proseguir, which is a faction of about 100 that went out on their own after Gonzalo was arrested. They're still active in certain regions.

[rioters bloc]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 01:28 PM
Rioters Bloc, where do you get your numbers? Wherever it is, I suggest you stop using it as a source.

The CVR, which was founded by the Peruvian government itself, only claims 12,561 people were killed by Sendero Luminoso ("the Shining Path"). And at their peak, they had several thousand members, not 200. They have 200 or more now.

And on Sendero .. the group of people that carried out the recent attacks was probably Proseguir, which is a faction of about 100 that went out on their own after Gonzalo was arrested. They're still active in certain regions.
you're most likely right. i can't remember what my source was, or if i'm even remembering it correctly - i looked SL up over a year ago now,

[violencia.Proletariat]

leftist marleyist, you SERIOUSLY need to look at these groups objectively. that means quit believing statistics from news corporations. whether the shinning path has committed these "atrocities" or not, those numbers and figures are lies! the governments that have these groups in their countries will say or make up ANYTHING in order to discredit them.

[WUOrevolt]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 07:46 AM
leftist marleyist, you SERIOUSLY need to look at these groups objectively. that means quit believing statistics from news corporations. whether the shinning path has committed these "atrocities" or not, those numbers and figures are lies! the governments that have these groups in their countries will say or make up ANYTHING in order to discredit them.
Do you suggest any sources?

[WUOrevolt]

I just used the BBC because I consider them to be pretty credible

[violencia.Proletariat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 12:42 AM
I just used the BBC because I consider them to be pretty credible
yes i would always suggest independent sources. the bbc is not credible on topics of revolutionary groups. they will perpetuate state lies like all the others. not only that but they are all to brief. it just seems rather obvious that you should research more than one source before forming an opinion, especially when that only source is the british government.

[Guerrilla22]

I support sendero luminososo completely. Their alleged atrocities are made up by capitalist media. They are Maoist, which I am not, however I support any revolutionary group, regardless of their type of leftist ideology.

[Tekun]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 06:44 AM
I support sendero luminososo completely. Their alleged atrocities are made up by capitalist media. They are Maoist, which I am not, however I support any revolutionary group, regardless of their type of leftist ideology.
I support the SL's objectives, but from what I have gathered, their military actions have exposed them as ruthless individuals that are quick to kill those who they claim they're fighting for thus causing problems for both them and those around them, primarily the peasants

Brother, can u direct me/us to the sources which refute their alleged atrocities?
If I can uncover credible info from reliable sources, my view will change, if not then it stays

[bolshevik butcher]

Yes, I think that to say they were all made up would be a bit extreme. Exagerated, deffinatley. Some of them made up likely, The entire thing made up though, sounds unlikely.

They have a record of showing a lack of respect for peasants, as do a lot of maoist gorups, they seem to be cut off from any rela support base because of this.

[WUOrevolt]

A doctor who lived and worked in Peru for a couple years in the 80's told me that the villagers were scared to death of the Sendero Luminoso.

[fernando]

Well the Truth Commission which investigated this thing after Fujimori fled to Japan found out that the Sendero Lumino killed aroun 12 thousand people. The Peruvian military killed a similar number. The MRTA killed about 1.5% of all the civilian casualties during these decades of conflict.

[Amusing Scrotum]

Originally posted by nate
especially when that only source is the british government.

The BBC is not the British Government. It is a nationalised media company and is quite possibly the best mainstream news source.

[Hiero]

Originally posted by Armchair Socialism+Dec 24 2005, 10:16 PM--> (Armchair Socialism @ Dec 24 2005, 10:16 PM)
nate
especially when that only source is the british government.

The BBC is not the British Government. It is a nationalised media company and is quite possibly the best mainstream news source. [/b]
The BBC however best of the bourgeois sources they are, are not Communist and have no sympathy for Communists and peasant movements. They have no class analysis.

I am willing to say the Shinning Path has killed peasants. But i wonder who these peasants really were. Since the BBC is bourgeois they are not going to tell us of the nature of the people killed. So government spies and general reactionaries in the peasant class who are killed by the Shinning Path are reported as "The Shinning Path brutally killing peasants".

The Shining Path aren't idiots, as many people in the 1st world are trying to portray them as. Before we even talk about them being Communist, are we going to believe they are stupid enough to fight against the peasant class? I hardly doubt it.

In regards to their activity, the capturing of the leader would no doubt be a setback, but i doubt it is a heavy blow, this is a common trick of imperialist. Just like when Saddam was caught, alot of attention was placed on this moment as if it would be the end of resistance. This wasn't the case. I do not believe the capturing of the leader of the Shining Path is the end of the organistion.

[Wanted Man]

Originally posted by [email protected] 23 2005, 08:30 PM
A doctor who lived and worked in Peru for a couple years in the 80's told me that the villagers were scared to death of the Sendero Luminoso.
Wow, hearsay, what a great argument. "Some random guy who claims to have been there told me that Peruvian peasants told him..."

[farleft]

They are still active.

This is from the 21/12/05 (thats a few days ago, just incase everyone is drunk, it it coming up to new year after all).

Last Updated: Wednesday, 21 December 2005, 07:44 GMT


Peru guerrillas kill eight police


Shining Path guerrillas have ambushed and killed eight Peruvian policeman in a coca growing region of the Andes mountains, officials say.

The ambush is the latest incident in an upsurge of violence linked to recent efforts to destroy coca crops.


The police died in a remote jungle area known to be patrolled by rebels.


Renegade Shining Path units are thought to be behind a series of attacks against security forces, despite the group's general defeat in the 1990s.


Police spokesman Luis Vicarra said the Shining Path left a trademark red rag in the ambushed car, identifying themselves as the attackers.


Peruvian authorities have launched an ongoing security operation in the remote Huanuco province to try to regain control.


The Shining Path have waged a guerrilla campaign to topple the Peruvian state, killing an estimated 70,000 people since the 1980s.


The group's leader, Abimael Guzman, was arrested in 1992 in a high-profile operation.


He is currently being retried for his role in the insurgency after a secret military conviction was quashed.

[gilhyle]

Interesting how similar GUzman's approach was in the areas he 'ruled' to the approach recently alleged against Mao (in the manner he ruled base areas) in the recent controversial biography.

[bolshevik butcher]

Originally posted by Matthijs+Dec 24 2005, 11:50 AM--> (Matthijs @ Dec 24 2005, 11:50 AM)
[email protected] 23 2005, 08:30 PM
A doctor who lived and worked in Peru for a couple years in the 80's told me that the villagers were scared to death of the Sendero Luminoso.
Wow, hearsay, what a great argument. "Some random guy who claims to have been there told me that Peruvian peasants told him..." [/b]
Wait, I think that's fairly good evidence. I mean why would someone make that kind of thing up. Stop living in your own little warped world where everything is so black and white and has to fit in with exactly the way you see things.

[Atlas Swallowed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_Path

Maybe this will help you. It is the most unbiased information I could find. Most of the information I found was pro American right wing crap of a biased nature.

[WUOrevolt]

Originally posted by Matthijs+Dec 24 2005, 03:50 PM--> (Matthijs @ Dec 24 2005, 03:50 PM)
[email protected] 23 2005, 08:30 PM
A doctor who lived and worked in Peru for a couple years in the 80's told me that the villagers were scared to death of the Sendero Luminoso.
Wow, hearsay, what a great argument. "Some random guy who claims to have been there told me that Peruvian peasants told him..." [/b]
It was a woman, and she was there, I have seen pictures.

[violencia.Proletariat]

is she a communist? can she look at the situation from a non-bourgeois perspective? does she know why those peasants were killed? or is that all she knows. for all we know they could have been telling the army where the sendero was hiding or operating.

[fernando]

A communist can be biased just as easily as a non-communist ;)

But yeah the personality cultus around Guzman...that always seemed very odd and disturbing to be...we are all supposed to be equal, being comrades and communist n all...but 'our leaders' seem to have personality cults around them. Look at Mao or Guzman for example...
I dunno it just bothered me!

[violencia.Proletariat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24 2005, 01:27 PM
A communist can be biased just as easily as a non-communist ;)

But yeah the personality cultus around Guzman...that always seemed very odd and disturbing to be...we are all supposed to be equal, being comrades and communist n all...but 'our leaders' seem to have personality cults around them. Look at Mao or Guzman for example...
I dunno it just bothered me!
yes they can but they can also see reasons for doing things that a person who believes in electoral politics doesnt understand. especially if that person is from the 1st world.

[fernando]

You make a point there, but still how high would the number of peasants be that the Sendero Luminoso killed? And if the reasons were "justified" wouldnt this high number (lets assume it were 12 thousand) indicate that the peasants would perhaps not be interested in fighting for or supporting the Sendero Luminoso?

Dont you also think that by killing these "traitors" (it is still very debatable at the moment) the SL would have alienated themselves from those who they were trying to help with their revolution? You cannot afford to alienate the masses in order to fight a revolution/guerilla war. As soon as you lose the support of the popular masses you have lost the war...just look at Che Guevara in Bolivia for example.

[WUOrevolt]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24 2005, 08:58 PM
is she a communist? can she look at the situation from a non-bourgeois perspective? does she know why those peasants were killed? or is that all she knows. for all we know they could have been telling the army where the sendero was hiding or operating.
All I know is that she was there and people were scared of the Sendero Luminoso.

[violencia.Proletariat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 24 2005, 02:16 PM
You make a point there, but still how high would the number of peasants be that the Sendero Luminoso killed? And if the reasons were "justified" wouldnt this high number (lets assume it were 12 thousand) indicate that the peasants would perhaps not be interested in fighting for or supporting the Sendero Luminoso?

Dont you also think that by killing these "traitors" (it is still very debatable at the moment) the SL would have alienated themselves from those who they were trying to help with their revolution? You cannot afford to alienate the masses in order to fight a revolution/guerilla war. As soon as you lose the support of the popular masses you have lost the war...just look at Che Guevara in Bolivia for example.
id have to see numbers from an independent source. but it doesnt matter. the sendero seems to be dead so it doesnt really matter. my point was not to trust state numbers and look at it from the revolutionary perspective.

it seems a lot of these tactics are to indtimidate and sometimes it seems to work. i cant judge the tactics they use because idk the situation there. but again the sendero seems to be broken up so it doesnt really matter anymore.

[fernando]

Perhaps an analysis on why the Sendero Luminoso broke up would be wise.

[WUOrevolt]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2005, 12:35 AM
Perhaps an analysis on why the Sendero Luminoso broke up would be wise.
I think that they are still around today, but just very weak.

[fernando]

Well then an analysis on why they have grown weak and still havent succeeded in creating a revolution in Peru. We can also find out why they dont have popular support of the masses.