The Revolutionary Armed

Forces of Colombia (FARC)

Chair: Annalise Gill
Crisis Director: Julia Krusen

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
DearDelegates,

ItisourpleasuretowelcomeyoualltothethirtysixthannualVirginiaModelUnited
NationsconferenceandtheRevolutionaryArmedForcesofColombia(FARC)
committee.WhetheryouveattendedVAMUNinthepastornot,wehopethatthe
conferencewillbeauniqueandengagingexperienceforyou.

MynameisAnnaliseGillandIwillbetheChairofFARC.IamathirdyearfromAustin,
Texas,doublemajoringinHistoryandWomen,Gender,andSexuality.Iveparticipated
inModelUNfornearlysixyearsnow,beginningwhenIwasafreshmaninhighschool
invariouscapacitiesfromdelegatingtochairingtoplanningconferences.Most
recently,IwastheUnderSecretaryGeneralforLogisticsofVICSXXI,UVascollegiate
conference.

MynameisJuliaKrusenandIamtheCrisisDirectorforFARC.Imafourthyearfrom
WestChester,Pennsylvania,doublemajoringinGovernmentandHistorywithaminor
inFrench.IbeganparticipatinginModelUNmyjunioryearinhighschoolandhave
beeninvolvedatalllevels.ThiswillbemythirdyearasaCrisisDirectorforVAMUN.I
havealsostaffedforVAMUNandVICS,alsoservingonSecretariatforVICSXXIwith
AnnaliseasChiefofStaff.

Beginningduringthestateofsiegeof1975,thiscommitteewillexploretheinner
workingsofaMarxistLeninistorganization.AsmembersofFARC,youwillbe
responsibleformaintainingtheservicesyouprovidetothepeoplewhofollowyou,as
wellasdefendingyourterritoryandpossiblyacquiringnewterritory.

Pleasefeelfreetocontactusifyouhaveanyquestionsregardingthecommitteeor
VAMUNingeneral.Welookforwardtomeetingyou!

Best,

AnnaliseGill
JuliaKrusen
Chair,FARC
CrisisDirector,FARC
avg7db@virginia.edu
jak7eu@virginia.edu

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
CommitteeOverview

ThiscommitteeisanemergencysessionfortheleadershipofFARC.Colombiais
inastateofsiegemembersnowmovewithgreatdifficulty,andpublicopinionis
turningagainsttheorganization.Withoutnewmembers,youwillsoonrunoutofnew
recruits.Additionally,yourstrategyofkidnappingtoraisemoneynolongworks
Colombiansarenowunafraidofthistacticandarebecominglesswillingtopay.Without
funds,youwillnotbeabletocontinueprovidingeducationalandmedicalservicestothe
peopleunderyourprotection.Withoutthisincentive,yourorganizationmaysoon
collapse.YouareclassifiedasaterroristgroupbythestrongestcountriesinLatin
America,manyoftheEuropeanpowers,andtheUnitedStates.Asagroup,youwillneed
todevelopandimplementastrategytodealwiththeseissues.Innovativeideaswiththe
potentialtogivethisorganizationthestrengthtochallengethegovernmentwillbe
warmlyreceivedbythechairofthissession,ManuelMarulandaVlez.
ThisemergencymeetingstartsinmidMay1975.Whileyouknowwhatyour
membersaredoing,itisalmostimpossibletopredictwhattheColombiangovernmental
forces,withthehelpoftheirallies,willdoatanymoment.Theonlyinformationyoucan
confirmisthatwhichhashappenedpriortoMay1975.Anyquestionsorconcerns
shouldbeaddressedtotheChairandCrisisDirectorattheemailaddresseslistedabove.

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
HistoricalBackground

Contemporaryissuesandpoliticaldissonancearerootedinthehistoryofthe
country.Priorto1499,theregionwasorganizedbyapoliticalsystemknownasthe
cacicazgo,anareacontrolledbyastrongpoliticalleader,characterizedbyapyramid
structureofpowerwithaleader,acacique.TheperiodofSpanishcolonizationbegan
withanexpeditionledbyAlonsodeOjeda.Afterseveralfailedattemptstoestablisha
permanentsettlementintheareaofpresentdayColombia,theSpanishwereablein
1525toestablishthecityofSantaMarta.Itispossiblethatthecitywasnotfoundedso
muchascommandeeredfromtheindigenouspeople,theTairona,whoinhabitedthe
areaatthetime. 1FollowingSantaMarta,atridirectedadvancewasexecutedandledto
theestablishmentofSantaFedeBogot(presentdaydowntownBogot)inAugustof
1538.
Withinadecade,theSpanishhadconqueredasizableterritoryinpresentday
ColombiacalledNewGranadaandtheSpanishRoyalpresencegrantedSantaFede
BogotthestatusofCapitaloftheKingdomofNewGranada.TheSpanishCrown
concentratedcolonialpowerthroughabureaucratichierarchy.However,collective
politicalactiondevelopedundercolonialrule,andwasoftenexercisedthrough
contestationofmunicipalposts.2

http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/o/ojeda.htm
ColombiaBeforeIndependence,pg.246

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)

SpanishconflictinEuropecontributedtotheweakeningofcolonialruleinNew
Granada.TransatlantictradebetweenthecolonyandSpaindwindled,3 andColombia
gainedindependencein1824.4

WarringFactions
Localviolencewasoftenattributedtothestrifethatoccurredbetweenthe
ConservativeandLiberalparties.5 Before1991,thePresidentofColombiaheldtheright
toappointalllocalandstateexecutives.However,localandstatelegislatureswere
electedeverytwoyears.Initiallyafterindependence,ruralareasofColombiaremained
largelyungoverned.Therefore,appointedexecutivesstruggledtomanagelocalitiesand

ColombiaBeforeIndependence,pg.298
http://www.infoplease.com/country/colombia.html?pageno=1
5
http://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/rootsviolencecolombia
4

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
thetwotraditionalpartiesfoughtforcontrol.Thisledtovillagesandtownsbeing
identifiedwitheitherparty,afoundationforlaterparamilitaryandguerillaviolence.6
TworadicalcivilwarsinColombiaweretheresultofrivalrybetweenthetwo
parties.ThefirstwastheThousandDaysWar,whichlastedfrom1899until1902and
claimedanestimated100,000lives.7 DifferencesineconomicviewsbetweentheLiberal
andConservativepartiescausedwartobreakoutincoffeegrowingregions.8 Thesecond
civilwarwasdeemedLaViolenciaorTheViolence.

CommunisminSouthAmerica
CommunisminSouthAmericancountrieswasshapedbyeventssuchasthe
BolshevikRevolutionandtherelationshipsofindividualgovernmentswiththeSoviet
Union.TheworkingclassservedasthecoreofCommunistuprisingsintheSovietUnion
andthesuccessoftheserevolutions,coupledwiththecentralityoftheworkingclassin
bothpopulationandpoliticaltradition,madeSouthAmericancountrieshighlyreceptive
totheseideals.9Bythemiddleofthe20thcentury,themajorityofSouthAmerican
countrieshadactive,recognizedCommunistpartiesorSocialistpartieswithCommunist
endgoals.Manyothercountries,suchasArgentina,Chile,Ecuador,andParaguay
wouldviolentlystrugglewiththeissuesbetweenleftistpartiesandtheliberalor
conservativerulingpartiesthroughoutthe20thcentury.

http://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/rootsviolencecolombia
Ibid.
8
http://www.britannica.com/event/TheWarofaThousandDays
9

http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com.proxy.its.virginia.edu/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199602056.001.0001/oxfordh
b9780199602056e014
6
7

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
FoundationofFARC
LaViolenciaandNewEconomicPolicies
ThepoliticalsituationinColombiabecameturbulentin1948withthe
assassinationofJorgeElicerGaitn,apopulistLiberalpolitician,inthemidstofhis
presidentialcampaign.10 Immediatelyaftertheassassinationlarge,violentriotsbroke
outacrossthecountrycausingimmensedamagetoproperty,allbutdestroyingthecity
ofBogot.From1948to1958,Colombiasawthelargescalepoliticalviolencenow
knownsimplyasLaViolencia.WhileitisgenerallyacceptedthatLaViolenciabegan
withtheassassinationofGaitn,grievancesbetweenthetwogroupshadbeengrowing
foratleasttwoyears.
LaViolenciawas,atitsmostbasiclevel,acivilwarbetweentheColombian
ConservativeParty,whichwasinpowerasof1946,andtheColombianLiberalParty,of
whichGaitnwasamember.Whilefightingeachother,thetwosidesalsoindependently
foughttheColombianCommunistParty.Thetenyearcivilwarisestimatedtohave
killedupto300,000people,woundedanother800,000,anddisplacedafurther1
million.Inthisperiodoftime,torturebecamecommonplaceandmanyofthebattles
werefoughtinthecountrysideoverlandrights.Asaresult,themajorityofthosekilled
bythisviolencewereruralpoor.
In1957,moderatesfromtheLiberalandConservativeparties,aswellassome
representativesfromthemilitary,begantalkstoformpeaceaccords.Negotiations
continuedthrough1958whentheLiberalandConservativeleadershipofColombias

Dix,RobertH.TheVarietiesofPopulism:TheCaseofColombiaSep.1978,TheWesternPoliticalQuarterly,
Vol.31,No.3pp.334351
10

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
governmentagreedtoformabipartisangovernmentcalledtheFrenteNacional.The
FrenteNacionalservedasadefactograndcoalition,allowingforpowersharing
betweenthetwoparties.Thisnewgovernmentconsolidatedmilitaryandsocioeconomic
powerandworkedtocutoffanyradicalmovementsfromtheLeftortheRight.11
Thenewgovernmentimplementedeconomictheoriesthatpromotedthe
efficientuseofland.Efficientusemeantconsolidatinglandformerlyheldbysmall,
poorlandownersintolargeplotssuitableforindustrialfarming.Thesemassiveplots
wereownedbywealthysupervisorswhoallowedthelandtobeusedforproducingcrops
orraisinganimalsthattheColombiangovernmentcouldthenexport.Thepeasantswho
wereremovedfromtheirlandwereforcedintolargerurbancenters.Thehighnumberof
displacedworkerscreatedasurplusoflaborinindustrializedurbancenters.Thisinflux
oflowerincomecitizensalsoallowedurbanemployerstofurtherexploitcheaplabor.
Thedrasticmigrationcreatedanenvironmentinwhichmostformerpeasantswere
malnourishedandpoorlytreated,andtheColombianCommunistPartywasableto
gatherthemostsupport.12
Whilethestandardoflivinghadnotbeenhighinthecountryside,theextreme
conditionsinwhichmigrantswereforcedtolivecausedwidespreaddiscontent,leading
manytolookforapoliticalgroupthatwouldrecognizeandadvocatefortheirinterests.
Thehybridgovernmentofthetimewasviewedasthecauseofthemiserableconditions
inwhichpeoplewerenowexpectedtolivewiththeirfamilies.WhentheCommunist
Partybegantocirculateinthoseareasinanattempttogainsupport,peoplerecognized

11

Bailey,NormanA."LaViolenciainColombia."JournalofInterAmericanStudies9.4(1967):56175.
JennyPearce(1990).Colombia:InsidetheLabyrinth.LatinAmericanBureau

12

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
itasanideologythathadadvocatedfortheworkerinotherpartsoftheworld.Through
involvementinWorldWarIandWorldWarII,whentheSovietUnionhadbeenaligned
withtheAlliedforces,ColombianshadseenMarxistLeninistideologyinaction,soit
wasafamiliarideologythatseemed,tomany,tobesuccessfulinlookingoutforthe
interestsofthecommonman.

CommunisminColombia
CommunistsbecameactiveinColombiaaroundtheendoftheFirstWorldWar,
thoughsmallergroupshadexistedbeforethen.Initially,communistgroupswere
concentratedinveryruralareaswheretheColombianCommunistParty(CCP),founded
in1930,activelyrecruitedmembers.TheCCP,likemanyotherCommunistgroupsofthe
time,drewinmembersbypromisingtocampaignforbetterworkingconditionsand
improvedlivingconditions,amongotherthings.Thesepromisesappealedespecially
stronglytothosewhohadbeenremovedfromtheirlandandforcedintodifficult
conditionsbytheefficientusepolicy.AsthemembershipintheCCPincreased,
independentbrancheswereformedaroundgeographicareas.Inruralareas,theCCP
calledtheindependentgroupspeasantleagues,whileinurbanareastheywerecalled
popularfronts,reflectingthedifferencesinconditionsthatthetwogroupsfaced.As
thegroupsbecamemoreactive,independentbranchesmergedinordertoseizeland
heldbylargelandowners.
WhiletheCCPwasinvolvedinLaViolencia,itwasneverconsideredapolitical
threattotheLiberalandConservativeParties,norwasitconsideredacrediblethreatto

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
commitviolence.Thatchangedwhenthegroupsbegantoseizeland,afterwhichthey
weretakenseriouslybythenewFrenteNacionalgovernmentthatwaskeentoeliminate
anythreatstoitsclaimtopower.13
TheseactionsandothersweremetwiththemilitaryforceoftheColombian
government.Inresponse,theColombianCommunistPartyorganizedselfdefense
leagueswhichwereabletorelativelysuccessfullydefendthemselvesagainstthe
government.Thesegroupsusedguerillastylewarfareandsuccessfullygainedandheld
ontocontrolofmanyareasofColombia.

PresentSituation
RelationshipwiththeGovernment
In1961aleaderintheCCP,ManuelMarulandaVlez,declaredasectionofrural
centralColombiatobetheMarquetaliaRepublic.ThisnewrepublicwasheldbytheCCP
butwasstillconsideredtobeapartofColombiabytheConservativegovernment.14In
responsetothisdeclaration,theColombiangovernmentincreasedbothitsmilitaryforce
andthefrequencyofattacks.OneoftheseattacksonthecommunityofMarquetaliain
1964had16,000Colombianforcesattackingasettlementof48people,including
ManuelMarulandaVlezandotherCCPleaders.These48managedtoescapeintothe
mountainswheretheydecidedthat,inordertodefendthemselves,theywouldneeda
moreprofessional,organizedfightingforce.Hence,theycreatedtheSouthernBlocon

Vanegas,Isidro,andOtisMartha."InternationalLinkstoEarlySocialisminColombia."LatinAmerican
Perspectives35.2(2008):2538.
14
Jenkins,BrianMichael."Colombia:CrossingaDangerousThreshold."TheNationalInterest62(2000):4755.
13

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
July20,1964.TheSouthernBlocespousedthesamegoalsastheCCPandvowedto
defendthecommunitiesofCommunistfollowersintheColombiancountryside.15
Twoyearslater,in1966,theSouthernBlocmetagaintoreviewitsstrategy.It
wasatthismeetingthatthegroupadoptedthenameLasFuerzasArmadas
RevolucionariasdeColombia(FARC).Theofficialgoalofthegroupwastooverthrow
thesittingColombiangovernmentandinstallinitsplaceaMarxistregime.Thenew
strategymeantthatFARCwouldnotjustbedefendingCommunistfollowers,butalso
attackingthegovernment,settinguptrainingcampsforcombatants,andproviding
medicalandeducationalservices.

DeathTollsandKidnappings
Inadditiontotheapproximately300,000killedduringLaViolencia,estimates
placethedeathtollfromtheongoingColombianconflictatover220,000people.16
FARCutilizedtacticssuchaskidnapping,torture,andotherviolentcrimesinitsfight
againstthecentralauthority.Frombothsidesviolenceismetwitharesponseof
violence,leadingtoextremelyhighdeathtollsandthedisplacementofcitizens.Muchof
thisviolencestemsfromthedeclarationbyFARCofasovereignterritory,whichthe
Colombiangovernmentstillconsiderstobeitsown.Additionally,asnewmembershipin
FARCbegantodeclinetheorganizationturnedtoothermethodsofrecruitment,namely
kidnapping.Thesekidnappingsweredoneinpoor,isolatedcommunitiesandtherefore
thevictims,oftenchildren,werenotransomedandinsteadraisedinthemilitarycamp.

15

http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgibin/groups/view/89
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/25/colombiaconflictdeathtollcommission

16

10

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
Bothboysandgirlsweretakenandmanyremainedwiththegroupastheygrewolder,
oftenprogressingintoleadershiproles.Womenwerepermittedtoholdmilitary
leadershiprolesinFARC,buttheyprimarilyheldrolesoutsideofthemilitarystructure
andwereoftensubjecttoviolenceincludingforcedmarriages.
Thoughthesechildrenwerekidnapped,theywerefarmorevaluablealivethan
deadandthereforethemissingpersonsnumberisnotcountedinthedeathtoll.
Additionally,thereisnoaccurateestimateofhowmanypeople,adultsandchildren
alike,mayhavebeenkidnappedfromsurroundingcommunitiesbecauseinavast
majorityofcasesthedisappearanceswereneverreported.Thisisduetoacombination
ofextremeisolation,lackofresourcestotakeactioninsuchcircumstances,andinsome
casesafeelingthatachildmightbebetteroffwiththerebelsbecausethechildwould
havetheirimmediateneedsaddressed.Itis,however,importanttonoteherethatthe
majorityofthechildsoldiersusedbyFARCjoinedtheorganizationvoluntarily,
primarilyforeconomicorsafetyconcerns,butinsomecasesasharedideologywith
FARC.
DuringpeacetalksinCubain2013,aseniorFARCofficialadmittedpartial
responsibilityforciviliandeathsbythehandsoftherevolutionarygroup.17In2014,
FARCadditionallymadeavowtohaltransomkidnappings.Thisfollowedaperiodof9
years(19962005)where,onaverage,someonewaskidnappedeveryeighthoursin
Colombia.18

17
18

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2013/08/21/ColombiasFARCadmitsroleinciviliandeaths/84371377112147/
Ibid.

11

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
WhatFARCisDoing?
ThebiggestappealofFARCforthecommunitiesunderitscontrolwasthe
availabilityofhealthcareandeducationtotheentirepopulationofthetown.The
communitiesthatreceivedtheseservicesdidnotpayforthem.Rather,initsearlyyears,
FARC,likemanyofitscontemporaryMarxistLeninistgroups,fundeditselfthrough
kidnapping.Thesekidnappingstargetedthewealthypoliticiansandthesocialelite.The
majorityofthosekidnappedwerereleased,butbykidnappingpeopleofrelativelyhigh
socialstandingandholdingthemforransom,FARCwasabletomaintainarelatively
consistentcashflow.NotableexamplesofkidnappingvictimsofFARCincludeIngrid
Betancourt,aColombianFrenchpoliticianwhowasheldfor6yearsKeithStansell,an
employeeofNorthropGrummanwhowasheldforover5yearandThomasHargorve,
anAmericanwhowasheldfor11monthsandkeptarecordofhistimeincaptivity,
whichwaslaterpublished.Inordertoensurethataransomwouldbepaidthehostages
hadtobereturnedingoodconditionsotheyweregenerallytreatedrelativelywelland
keptingoodhealth.Thegoodtreatmentofhostagesdidensurethatoftentimesthe
ransomwouldbepaid,butitalsomeantthatthegeneralpublicquicklygrewtiredof
hearingaboutthekidnappingsandfamilieswerelesslikelytoscrambletopaythe
ransom.Thefamilieswerenotgenerallygivenatimeframeinwhichtheyhadtopaythe
ransomandknowingthattheirlovedonewouldlikelynotbeharmedremovedthesense
ofurgency.
So,whilekidnappingsworkedforanumberofyears,bythemid1970stheywere
beginningtolosetheirshockvalueandFARCstartedlookingintoalternativefunding

12

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
methods.Initsearlyyears,FARCrapidlyincreasedtherateofviolenceinaneffortto
recreateasenseofurgencyandmaintainitsfundingstrategy.However,by1975,the
rateofviolenceincreasedtothepointthattheColombiangovernmentdeclareda
nationalstateofsiegethecountrywasnowunderacurfewandsubjecttoanincreased
militarypresence.19

QuestionstoConsider

1.WhatmeasuresneedtobetakentorevivepublicsupportforFARC?
2.WhatcanFARCdotoprotecttheterritoryandpeopleunderitscontrol?
3.WhataresomesolutionsforFARCtocontinueitsfunding?
4.HowwilltheinternationalcommunityviewtheactionsofFARC?
5.WhatwouldconflictresolutionlooklikeforFARCandtheColombiangovernment?

GuidelinesforResearch
Newspapers:TheNewYorkTimes(besuretocheckarchivedarticles),
WashingtonPost,TheGuardian,AlJazeera,ElTiempoColombia(inSpanish)
HumanRightsGroups:HumanRightsWatch,AmnestyInternational,World
AdvocacyforHumanRightsintheAmericas(https://www.hrw.org/)
(http://www.amnestyusa.org/)(http://colombiapeace.org/)
Thinktanks:CouncilonForeignRelations,TheWilsonCenter(www.cfr.org)
(www.wilsoncenter.org)

19

http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgibin/groups/view/89

13

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
FARCWebsite:(http://www.farcep.co/)(inSpanish)
MediaControversy:Examplesofbiasinthemedia,HonestReportingwebsite
(www.honestreporting.com)

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"AlonsoDeOjeda."BiografiasYVidas.LaEnciclopediaBiogrficaEnLnea,n.d.Web.
Bailey,NormanA."LaViolenciainColombia."JournalofInterAmericanStudies9.4
(1961):56175.Web.
Cassman,Daniel."RevolutionaryArmedForcesofColombiaPeople'sArmy."Mapping
MilitantOrganizations.StanfordUniversity,n.d.Web.
Coatsworth,JohnH."RootsofViolenceinColombia."ReVista.HarvardUniversity
Press,Spring2003.Web.
"Colombia."Infoplease.Infoplease,n.d.Web.
"ColombianConflictHasKilled220,000in55Years,CommissionFinds."The
Guardian.GuardianNewsandMedia,25July2013.Web.
"Colombia'sFARCAdmitsRoleinCivilianDeaths."UPI.UPI.com,21Aug.2013.Web.
Dix,RobertH."TheVarietiesofPopulism:TheCaseofColombia."TheWestern
PoliticalQuarterly31.3(1978):33451.Web.
Gonzalez,Mike."CommunisminLatinAmerica."TheOxfordHandbookoftheHistory
ofCommunism.OxfordHandbooksOnline,Dec.2013.Web.
Jenkins,BrianMichael."Colombia:CrossingaDangerousThreshold."TheNational
Interest62(200):4755.Web.

14

TheRevolutionaryArmed
ForcesofColombia(FARC)
McFarlane,Anthony.ColombiabeforeIndependence:Economy,Society,andPolitics
underBourbonRule.NewYork,NY,USA:CambridgeUP,1993.Print.
Pearce,Jenny.Colombia,insidetheLabyrinth.London:LatinAmericaBureau
(ResearchandAction),1990.Print.
Vanegas,Isidro,andOtisMartha."InternationalLinkstoEarlySocialisminColombia."
LatinAmericanPerspectives35.2(2005):2538.Web.
"TheWarofaThousandDays."EncyclopediaBritannicaOnline.Encyclopedia
Britannica,n.d.Web.

15

We appreciate your feedback about our conference. Please

direct all inquiries and comments to our Secretary-General.
Gary DePalo
Secretary-General
vamun.sg@gmail.com
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