The Shining Path of Peru

[DocBenway]

I have had some contact with RCP members who talked about the Shining Path, and from things I have read, the Shining Path was supported by various American Maoist groups when it was at the peak of its activity (80-90s).

On the net, I have read some serious condemnations and critiques of the Path. They have been accused of mass murders of peasants and other war crimes.

I talked to a man whom I work with who was from Peru and he condemned their acts of violence and did not think they had popular support.

The other day I was lent a video called "The People of the Shining Path" which, in my opinion, showed the group in an overall favorible light. They showed mass contingents of women liberated by their involvement with the group.

I, at this place and time, do not really know what to think of them. What are your opinions of the group? Do you still support their efforts (of their past efforts) or do you see them as bloodthirsty war criminals.

I recently purchased a book on the Shining Path (The Shining Path: A History of the Millenarian War in Peru by Gustavo Gorriti Ellenbogen). I have yet to read this but have any of you? What is a good source of info on the Shining Path?

[slightlyleft7_26]

I also don't know much about The Shining Path(Sendero Luminoso) but i can warn you on the movie that sheds "favorable light on them" as we can so often see, movies can shed almost anyone in a favorable light.

[Scars]

The Shining Path, the Shining Path. They are hard to judge. On the one hand they did many good things- the liberation of many Peruvian women, as has been noted. They also helped many the largely ignored native Peruvians (as opposed to the ruling Spanish decended Peruvians) and brough their plight to attention overseas.

But their line was based around a disgusting worship of their leader, which is why the movement crumbled so quickly after his capture. Saying "This guy has a lot of good ideas" is one thing, giving him all sorts of messiah like names like "The Forth Sword of Marxism!" is another. What's more disgusting is their tactics. They were utterly brutal, there's no two ways about it.

As for books, I do have a book about them, I just can't remember exactly where i've put it. I'll try to dig it out and when I do I'll post the details.

[DocBenway]

In the video, there were inspiring scenes of Shining Path women in prison celebrating a communal holiday together. They were marching and singing and delivering lines from Marx and Lenin about the necessity of having women active in progressive movements. After this scene, the video discusses how women in Peru have traditionally been greatly immiserated and suffered greatly; that is why they latched on to the Shining Path.

There were also scenes of male prisoners who engaged in revolutionary theature to keep their spirits up. They seemed, despite being in prison, extremely well organized and motivated. To be honest, I've never really seen anything like it.

The thing about the cult of personality is in evidence in the video. However, despite simply being a negative thing, it obviously can also be used to inspire and motivate suffering peoples to rise up. I am thinking about Latin American cultures and their traditional celebration of "tough guy" renegade leaders. For people without a tremendous amount of education, a cult of personality can be used as an easy way of getting new recruits and helping change their ideology quicker than by a series of study lessons in the twenty eight volumes of Lenin's writings.

The cult of personality thing is an issue I need to study more to determine if it is genuinly a useful tool of simply a mistake.

As for the violence. I take anything that the media says with a grain of salt, and when they accuse the Shining Path of violence, I do so as well. In their eyes, only violence commited by the state is legitimate, even if that state is a despotic monarchy. In any revolutionary struggle, violence will need to be utilized. Strikes against militatary and strategic targets is part of revolutionary warfare; however, I am troubled by accusations that the Shining Path commited wanton violence against innocent civilians, and in other cases, kidinapped peasants and forced them to be soldiers and workers for the Shining Path cause. Does anyone have any confirmation of these issues?

It is obvious that the Peruvian state committed mass murder against the Shining Path, and innocent civilians. In the documentary it said that a month after showing the scenes with the prisoners, the prison was attacked by the military and the prisoners massacred. It showed scenes of this.

As for the Shining Path falling because their messiacal leader was kidinapped, I am not sure it is that easy. When I looked on Wikipedia, it was obvious that many many leaders have been captured and killed over time. Plus the extreme opression commited by the military have helped break them down.

Anyone have any opinions about this group the Shining Path?