FARC ( Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia

1. FARC(Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaFuerzasArmadasRevolucionariasde Colombia Keegan olario Elisa Ruano AP HUMAN GEO. – PD. 1

2. What is terrorism? • Terrorism is defined as the use or threat of violence against civilians as opposed to soldiers or other opponents in battle. • In more simpler terms, it can be explained as violent acts conducted to create fear (terror) in people. • These violent acts are conducted for religious, political, or ideological goals. • Causes the feeling of superiority, dominance, and power.

3. What is terrorism? • Characteristics of Terrorism: • Viewed in political and group dynamics • Purpose is to create fear within the oppressed group • Seek a solution by recruiting to violence • Characteristics of a Terrorist: • Feel angry, alienated or deprived from what they believe are rights. • Believe that their current political involvement does not give them the power to effect real change. • Identify with perceived victims of the social injustice they are fighting. • Feel the need to take action rather than just talking about the problem. • Believe that engaging in violence against the state is not immoral.

4. What is FARC? • It’s the biggest irregular army in Colombia. • It operates in various regions of the country in search of resources to fund their 50year old war against the government. Thus, the attacks and bombings of their landmines have occurred in their own country, often injuring and killing innocent civilians. • The FARC is the oldest and most important guerrilla group in the Western Hemisphere. • It has long financed its political and military battle against the Colombian government by kidnapping, extortion and participating in the drug trade on various levels. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKJblKuj84E • (3:04)

5. FARC • The FARC’s roots can be traced back to the outbreaks of violence that impacted rural Colombia following the assassination of the populist leader of the Liberal Party, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, in Bogota on April 9, 1948. • The assassination touched • off a sectarian struggle, • first in Bogota and later • in the countryside, which • started out as a battle between • the country’s two chief parties, • the Liberals and Conservatives.

6. Formation: • While escalating civil conflict in Colombia is attracting increasing international interest and concern, the complex relationships between drug trafficking, political violence, and the many actors involved in the social conflict in Colombia are often the roots to why the FARC first formed. • Initially, it was formed to free the oppressed citizens, but mutated into a guerilla force within a country, often times killing the once oppressed the group originally fought for.

7. Acts of terrorism: • - 23 kidnappings of politicians in the years of 1999-2002, and most important of these were Ingrid Betancourt who was held hostage and released after 6 years of captivity. She is a Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist, and her case was so significant due to the fact that she was not only Colombian but also held dual French citizenship. She and her family have claimed no attempted negotiations and releases were formerly made and she is now suing the state for kidnapping.

8. Acts of terrorism: • On 22 December 2009, the body of Luis Francisco Cuéllar, the Governor of Caquetá, was discovered, a day after he had been kidnapped from his house in Florencia, Caquetá. Officials said the abduction and execution had been carried by the FARC. According to officials, he had been killed soon after the abduction. The kidnappers cut the governor's throat as they evaded security forces. • Don’t target mass groups, rather powerful politicians

9. Why instill fear? • To gain control of the government and to instill the Communistic views of Marxist–Leninist. • Believe that violence is the only way to attract attention to themselves • The guerilla army wants to show to the people what happens when one is affiliated with political leaders and the dismantling of their forces. • Why resort to terrorism? • Many of the guerilla soldiers are peasants, therefore the leaders of the FARC themselves cannot obtain as much supplies as the government and have to resort to guerilla tactics. Their acts of violence are only strong because of their landmine tactics that harm civilians and halt government militaries.

10. Death of Alfonso Cano: • Alfonso Cano was the commander of the militant group of FARC. • Cano was shot and killed by army forces on 4 November 2011 in the southwestern Colombian government dubbed "Operation Odysseus." President Juan Manuel Santos confirmed his death on television, claiming the Colombian army dealt the FARC "the biggest blow in the history" of the guerrilla organization.

11. FARC today:

12. FARC TODAY: • NOV. 21, 2013 Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos announces that he will run for re-election, saying he wants to finish work he started in seeking peace deal with country’s largest rebel group, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. • NOV. 7, 2013 Negotiators for Colombian government and country’s largest guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, announce that they have agreed on framework for rebels to take part in political process, crucial step forward in peace talks aimed at ending nearly 50 years of fighting.

13. Citations • Tori DeAngelis. "Understanding Terrorism." American Psychological Association. November 2009. Feb 5, 2014. <http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/11/terrorism.aspx>. • InSight Crime. "FARC News." InSight Crime. December 2013. Open Society Foundations. Feb 5, 2014. <http://www.insightcrime.org/groups-colombia/farc>. • John Pike. "Revolutionary Armed Forces of ColombiaFuerzas Armadas Revolucionarios de Colombia - FARC." FAS: Intelligence Research Program. June 18, 2008. Feb 5, 2014. http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/farc.htm. • http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/revolutionary_armed_forces_of_colombia/index.html