Former Members' Perspectives are Key to Impacting the FARC

Abstract

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia - Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP or FARC) is one of the world's longest surviving insurgency groups. They have worked endlessly to topple the Colombian Government since 1964. [1] The group began like many anti-government socialist groups did at the time, in the shadow of Fidel Castro's Cuba. The FARC's story however, is different from most insurgent groups due to their longevity and ability to survive. Their flexibility has allowed them to remain active and adapt to environmental changes. Since Colombia remains a major world producer of cocaine, with the FARC being the leading producer, this group's eradication is a major responsibility of the world community. Interviews conducted in Bogota July 7-17, 2012 revealed evidence that the FARC operates much like a secular cult. The structure of its internal operations, and how members relate to each other and to leadership are similar to traits in religious cults. Examining these traits may shed light on how to better strategize military and civil forces fighting not only the physical attributes, but also the psychological ones to resist the FARC and similar groups.