FARC: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as the FARC are a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerrilla movement. They are considered a terrorist group by the United States Department of State, Canada, the European Union, and by the Colombian government. The FARC were established as a guerrilla movement within the military wing of the Colombian communist party, and have remained relatively close to the communist party. The FARC is well organized along military lines and is governed by a secretariat, which has changed several times throughout its existence.


The group claims to represent the peasants of Colombia against the Wealthy class of Colombians and United States influence. Other sources of discontent range from the privitization of natural resources, paramilitary violence, and large multi-national corporations. The FARC has negotiated with the Colombian government over issues of demilitarization of certain areas of the country, and over the release of FARC members and supporters from prison. However, they do not get along with the government and do plan to take control of the government through armed revolution. The group is primarily funded by extortion, kidnapping, and through the cocaine trade. Today there are approximately 6,000-8,000 members of the FARC, who have their strongholds in the Southeast jungles and in the plains at the base of the Andean mountains. The FARC is the oldest and largest insurgent group in the Americas.


The FARC has been heavily criticized throughout its existence for many human rights violations. The group has attacked civilians on numerous occasions, recruited child soldiers and has committed torture. The group has also been criticized for straying from their original goals. While the FARC claims that they are fighting for the Colombian peasants, they are harming these people more than they are helping. They are extorting them, they are promoting and trafficking drugs, and harming innocent civilians.



Links for further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farc
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=5&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.globalsecurity.org%2Fmilitary%2Fworld%2Fpara%2Ffarc.htm&ei=CMIISYXjG6KSuwXUk9SJDA&usg=AFQjCNFDc-hEWtsL_c8r2wiCFAj65_zdDg&sig2=h2G8Nz7_cJBwC2XUXEj71Q
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=14&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fworld%2Famericas%2F1746777.stm&ei=CMIISYXjG6KSuwXUk9SJDA&usg=AFQjCNHd6eFSJckMTRxgg76jK61MRN2LyQ&sig2=O_S-HssUnRVeacZNgHHLFw