Introduction
For decades, Terrorism has been a major issue in Peru and of significant concern to the rest of South America. The country has a history of not only having one of the worst terrorism rates but also suffering from some regional instability. The Shining Path is the Maoist terrorist organization that emerged from the Peruvian communist party, the Union Comunista Peruana (Mauceri, 2018). The violent acts committed by this terrorist organization took place primarily between 1980 and 1992 when its founder, Abimael Guzman Reynoso was jailed (Mauceri, 2018). He was sentenced to life in prison in a military court in February 2003 and represented one of the world’s most feared terrorists (Albertus, 2020). The organization used violent means to conduct its campaign against the Peruvian state, using bombings, assassinations of high-profile figures, and other tactics (Mauceri, 2018). This research paper will focus on the issues of Terrorism that have plagued Peru, their impact on national policies, and the government’s attempts to eliminate the Shining Path.
Impacts of The Shining Path on National Policies
The group’s goal was to overthrow the Peruvian government and establish a communist dictatorship. It has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, assassinations, kidnappings, and bombings. The Shining Path’s violent tactics have resulted in more than 70,000 deaths in Peru since 1980. (Albertus, 2020) The group believed that Peru’s rural population was being exploited by urban elites and sought to create a Maoist revolution in which power would be handed over to peasants. The impact of The Shining Path on national policies in Peru can be seen through how it has affected economic, social, and security (Albertus, 2020). The Shining Path has impacted monetary policy because the group has used its violent tactics to attack private businesses that it believes are exploitative to workers or against the interests of the proletariat. In addition, economic policy has been affected because many Peruvians have fled their homes for fear of being targeted by Shining Path militants.
The group’s activities forced the Peruvian government to develop a more aggressive approach to Terrorism than they would have otherwise taken. The government also increased its spending on security forces, which helped to reduce the amount of violence perpetrated by the Shining Path (Albertus, 2020). It made it harder for police officers to do their jobs safely because many members of this group were trained fighters skilled at using weapons like hand grenades and automatic rifles. These skills make it dangerous for cops who want to arrest them without getting injured themselves first before calling backup from other agencies. The Shining Path also impacted national policies by causing some people to lose confidence in their government’s ability to protect them from terrorists and criminals (Mauceri, 2018). This made many people afraid of traveling outside their own neighborhoods or even leaving their homes at night.
The Government’s Attempts to Eliminate the Shining Path
In their efforts to eliminate the Shining Path, the Peruvian government has used several strategies that have proven effective in other countries but have not worked in Peru. They have also tried new tactics that may be more successful than previous efforts. The first approach was military intervention (Mauceri, 2018). In 1984, the Peruvian government sent troops into the area where Shining Path was based, with little success (Mauceri, 2018). The rebels could easily evade capture or kill those who were captured. They also gained control of many surrounding villages by promising them freedom from taxation and other benefits if they joined their cause. This made it difficult for soldiers to distinguish between civilians and rebels when they entered an area controlled by the Shining Path; many innocent people were killed by mistake.
A second approach was police action against suspected members of the Shining Path. However, this did not work either because most suspected members were killed before being arrested and questioned about their involvement with the group (Mauceri, 2018). It also resulted in many innocent civilians being caught up in these actions because many police officers had little training or experience handling such situations. The government also implemented policies aimed at eliminating its influence within society. One such approach was creating a national police force made up entirely of indigenous people who would be less susceptible to corruption than more traditional members of law enforcement (Albertus, 2020). Another policy was offering amnesty for those who surrendered their weapons without any questions asked (Mauceri, 2018). Despite these efforts, however, none of these methods successfully eliminated the group or significantly weakened its influence within the country.
Conclusion
Terrorism has become the scourge of society, randomly bringing destruction and death to its citizens. Discovered in the wake of liberation movements throughout the Americas – Nicaragua and El Salvador in particular – was a bloody insurgent movement that took place in Peru. The Shining Path, under the leadership of Abimael Guzmán, attempted to overthrow the Peruvian government and liberate the people from the invisible chains of imperialism. Guzmán and the Shining Path were never able to better their lives and lead the people out of their misery. Instead, their campaign for people’s power resulted in imprisonment for many innocent Peruvians in addition to killing thousands more. Ultimately, even with international support, the Shining Path could not succeed in its goals as it soon fell apart amidst internal struggles before Peruvian forces could defeat them. The Terrorism in Peru can be seen as a direct result of this insurgent movement gone awry.
References
Albertus, M. (2020). Land reform and civil conflict: Theory and evidence from Peru. American Journal of Political Science, 64(2), 256-274. Web.
Mauceri, P. (2018). State under siege: Development and policy making in Peru. Routledge. Web.