The only other longer battle in all of Latin America, after the armed conflicts in Colombia, is the international conflict in Peru. The Peruvian government and terrorist groups were at odds when the battle first broke out. The systematic violations of human rights were greatly facilitated by the participation of both parties in the civil war. The conflict that lasted from 1980 to 2000 is believed to have killed close to 70,000 people. (Burt 45). Farmers made up the majority of the civilian victims (56%), and most of the attacks took place in rural regions. More documented deaths and disappearances have occurred than during all of Peru's wars and other conflicts combined. The Shining Path was responsible for a majority of the deaths at 54%. The aggressive anti-terrorism and police response to the conflict contributed significantly to the crisis in Peru as the fundamental human rights were disregarded (Internal conflict in Peru).
The growing insurgency peaked in 1980 with the economic instability and social tensions in the country. The Shining Path in the meantime engaged in a recruitment drive and grew from a small radical group to guerilla army. The faction employed terrorism threats and tactics to scare civilians and military targets ("Civil War in Peru").
Between 1975 and 1980, the rates of inflation escalated to quadruple digits and during the administration of Alan Garcia, the national debt and unemployment reached levels never seen before. Because of the attacks by the Shining Path, the President approved military counterinsurgency campaign against the faction. A politician of Japanese origin, Alberto Fujimori was elected as president in the 1990 elections amid the growing instability and threats from the movements (Degregori, et al. 98). During the decade, until 2000, there was observed strong economic turnaround and concerted effort to suppress the operations of the guerilla insurgents. The Shining Path suffered many defeats in 1992. The president then staged a coup on April 5, 1992, which led to the shutting down of Congress and abolishment of the constitution and the judicial system. The war between the government and movements were characterized by atrocities and abuse of human rights committed by both sides. Once the leader of SL was apprehended in September 1992, the group was weakened significantly (Mealy, Marisa, and Carol 575).
At the same time, there was a growing discomfort with the leadership of Fujimori because of his use of tyrannical measures, scandals of bribery and another economic meltdown in the late 1990s. His criminal activities were leaked and fled to Japan to avoid prosecution and relinquished his administration in November 2000. Alejandro Toledo became the first democratically elected president in April 2001 (Burt 61). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created and charged with the responsibility of assessing the political violence that lasted for two decades. Alberto Fujimori was finally extradited in April 2009 to Peru to face charges of crimes against humanity for which he was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment (Mealy, Marisa, and Carol 581).
National Situation before the War
The early history of Peru experienced various populations. Chavin, Nazca, Hauri, Chimu, Tiahuanaco and Paracas people dominated this land. The best-known pre-Colombian civilization of Peru, also known as the Inca, emerged in prominence from the early 13th century. The power and influence of the Inca exponentially grew in the mid 15th century. Cusco-based ruler called Pachacutec who later expanded his control in south and central territories of Peru was driving this civilization. He formed the Inca Empire, which expanded to dominate the modern day Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador. This empire based itself on strict power structure of hierarchical rule (Masterson and Daniel 91).
The Spanish empire was attracted by the wealth and the legendary nature of Inca Empire in Peru. The Spanish moved into the country in the year 1531 and gradually conquered Peru by assimilating its citizens and teaching the Spanish norms such as language and culture. The Spanish dominated Peru for almost three centuries leading to the inflictions of suffering and discrimination among the Peru natives. This discrimination due to domination by the Spanish colonialists led to political marginalization.
Peru won its independence in 1821 from the Spanish rule following the military campaigns that were pioneered by Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin. After the independence was gained, the country decided to embrace a democratic presidential republic other than establish a monarchy. The democratic institutions in the country however remained weak after independence for a long time ("Internal conflict in Peru").
The early years of independence saw that coastal regions of the country establishing economic and political domination of the jungle regions and Andean. During the period, Lima consolidated its economic and political dominance and became the capital city of Peru. There was economic dominance in this region of the country. During this time of independence, the main economic activity was the mining and exportation of guano. This product was exported as a fertilizer. The country's economy depended on the exportation of guano ad other primary products and more so the minerals. This exorbitant exportation of mineral products left most of the populations in a marginalized state (Masterson and Daniel 103).
The 1960s saw a critical point following the extreme exportation of the country's primary resources to other countries. This led to much social and economic unrest hence the establishment of military coup led by General Juan Velasco Alvarado. This General took power in 1969 and introduced aggressive land reform schemes. These schemes were followed by the unsuccessful implementation of models of development that were state-led. His leadership led to the nationalization of most foreign companies in the country.
The military rule by General Velasco continued until General Francisco Morales Bermudez Cerruti disposed him in 1975. General Francisco agreed to return the power to the people through their civilian authorities in the year 1980.
The first elections held in the country after 17 years from independence were faced with rejection by the Maoist organization known as the Shining Path. This organization demonstrated their rejection of the electoral politics and the elections by burning the ballot papers that were used in the small town of Ayacucho. From this time after, the country experienced an internal conflict that lasted fro twenty years and killed nearly 70,000 people. This war marked world history and is reported to be the second longest war following the Colombian armed clashes in the entire Latin America. It is a war that a rouse from the conflicts and differences between the Peru government and terrorist groups in the country. Most affected victims of the war were farmers as the attacks took place in the rural areas before spreading to the cities ("Internal conflict in Peru").
The Rise of Shinning Path
The military rule in Peru led to the emergence of rebels, hence, the formation of the Communist Party of Peru, commonly known as the Shining Path. Shining Path was a communist militant group that was launched during the internal conflicts in Peru. This military group come a communist party was launched in 1980. The main goal of this movement was to replace the bourgeois democracy that was exercised in the country by a new democracy ("Shining Path"). They believed that in order to reach a state of communism, induction of Cultural Revolution, sparking world revolution and establishing proletariat dictatorship would be ideal. The representatives of the Shining Path believed that the existence of socialist countries was revisionist and hence they claimed that they are the only world communist movement in the country. The ideologies of this movement was influenced and hence got adoption by other Maoist organizations such as Communist Party of Nepal also known as Maoist. Other organizations such as Revolutionary Internationalist Movement and their affiliated organizations also joined the bandwagon of Shining Path.
The Peru government, European Union, Canada and United States of America classified the Shining path as a terrorist organization following its brutality and the violence it deployed on peasant farmers and the entire population (Degregori, Carlos, Steve and Nancy 243).
The name Shining Path was derived from a maxim of the original founder of Peruvian Communist Party, Jose Carlos Mariatengui. This maxim was featured in most of the mainstream media of that time and the communist party of Peru signed most of the documents produced by the movement.
Abimael Guzman, a former professor of philosophy, founded Shining Path in the 1960s. Guzman promoted the teachings of Maoist doctrines, which later created foundations of military affiliations. The shining path emerged from the Communist Party of Peru that was founded in 1928 by Jose Carlos Mariantegui ("Shinning Path").
The footpath of the Shining Path movement was firmly established in San Cristobal of Huamanga University where Guzman taught philosophy. Most students in this university adopted the teachings of Guzman and embraced the radical ideologies of the Shining path. This movement took over the student councils of the universities in the region in the years between 1973 and 1975.
The Shinning Path movement held a series of meetings in Ayacucho and was able to form a revolutionary directorate that had both political and military characteristics. It orders its members and militias to move to strategic locations of the area in order to begin an armed struggle. This movement held a military school and was able to train its militia on the use of weapons and some military tactics. They engaged themselves in Maoist practices such as criticism and self-criticism. These practices were to help the militia of the Shining Path have confidence in themselves and avoid reemergence or repletion of mistakes. However, they exercised indoctrinate killing that later caused them the fear from the public and lack of public support in that regard. During the First Military School, the members from the central committee experienced huge levels of criticism; however, Guzman did not experience any opposition hence emerging as the leader of Shining Path (Shinning Path).
Shining Path having been formed as a political move that molded itself into a militia organization, refused to participate in elections following Peru's military government proposition for elections that would enhance democracy in the country. The Shining Path refused to partake on the elections and instead begun engaging in guerilla wars in the Ayacucho highlands. During the presidential elections that were conducted ion May 17, 1980, this movement burned the ballot boxes used for elections in Chuschi. This was the first act of conflict done by the Shining path. This act was however quickly corrected and did not get much attention from the media.
The Shinning Path movement continued to grow in the 1980s in the territories it has dominance over. They were highly supported by the local farmers in the areas they dominated as they were like a source of security to them ("Shinning Path").
The government's effort to rid off this terrorist group led to it strengthening its activities. Anyone who did not join the Shining Pat movement was considered an enemy and would be killed or brutally injured. The movement recruited many member including the young and old. In some of its territories, the Shining Path movement trained the local farmers and made them familiar on the use of military arms and tactics. The government military was given an opportunity to trace and arrest all the people suspected to be part of the Shining Path movement. However, the military abused its powers by arresting and torturing innocent people. The military also grossly handled people by raping women and tortured the innocent arrested members during the interrogation. The government military trained some of the peasant farmers and labeled them "rondas". This group was prematurely trained and its main aim was to attack the Shining path movement. This attack sparked the actions of the Shining Path movement hence leading to more and more massacres and political unrest in the country (Degregori, Carlos, Steve and Nancy 296).
Outbreak of Hostilities
Shining Path was amongst the few political groups that refused to take part in elections once it was declared by the military government of Peru. This decision to take part in elections and establish a democratic government was taken considered after many years since independence. Instead of the Shining Path to participate in the election, it opted to launch guerilla war against the Peru military government. This was an act of terrorism since the Shining Path movement burnet all the ballot boxes that were used for the presidential elections. This incidence was however not brought to much media attention since the Peru government fixed the mess caused by the Shining Path movement just right in time. The government brought in more ballot boxes and the election proceeded well as anticipated (Burt 120).
The Shining Path movement anticipated fighting their wars in a strategic manner by applying the styles that were taught by Mao Zedong. In applying such techniques, the Shining Path movement opened up guerilla zones in order to establish liberated zones and use these liberated zones to support the new guerilla zones they created until the whole country was seen as liberated. This movement adhered to the teachings of Mao and embraced the fight in the countryside before they could gradually move and choke the nearby cities with their violence. The Shining Path on December 3, 1982, officially formed a wing called "People's Guerilla Army". This army faced more opposition from the government and retaliated by carrying out more advanced crimes against humanity. Conflicts and social disintegration in begun after the formation of the branches of Shining Path movement. This organization fought with the government in attempt to make their strength and impact felt within the country. In the process however, many lives were lost and atrocities committed in the country.
Government response. Counter terrorist and attacks
State of Emergency
The intensified violent atrocities conducted by the Shinning Path moved the government to respond. The Shinning path attacked the National Police of Peru and hence the government could not ignore the actions of this terrorist group but only to attack back. Fernando Belaunde in 1981 declared a State of Emergency and orders the attack of the Shining Path by the Peruvian Armed Forces. This response by the government led to the suspension of all the constitutional rights for 60 days in various provinces in the country. After the state of emergency, Ayacucho Emergency Zone was created by the Armed Forces. In this zone, the military power was superior to civilian power and this led to the suspension of multiple constitutional rights (State of emergency). The suspension of constitutional rights led to the violation of human rights in the regions they had utmost political control. The armed forces killed so many peasant farmers and raped women and children in the act (Stern 251).
The Santa Massacre
The Grupo Carolina conducted the Santa massacre. The then president Fujimori mandated this killing squad group. It occurred in the Ancash region of Peru. This was one of the government's means of ensuring that they get rid of the shining path. It was however not a good move since so many innocent souls were killed in the process. This massacre occurred on May 2, 1992. Members of this group were a death squad that operated out of the Army of Peru ("Santa massacre"). These members however painted a false flag of operation that resembled the Shining Path flag. The victims of this massacre were exhumed and identified in august 2011 and later reburied the same year in November. The Peruvian government formally apologized to the victim's relatives after the operation was finished (Burt 123).
The Barrios Altos Massacre
This massacre took place in the neighborhood of Barrios Altos on November 3, 1991. It is believed to nave been carried out by the Grupo Carolina group that was a death squad that was made up of Peruvian Armed Forces members. The judicial authorities determined that the victims of this massacre were not terrorists but mainly composed of partygoers, shining path rebels and other innocent people. This massacre was a symbol of human rights violations that was committed during the administration of president Fujimori. This case was taken to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the court ruled that the Peruvian government was to pay $3.3 million to compensate the victims and their families ("Barrios Altos massacre").
The Accomarca Massacre
This massacre occurred in August 14, 1985. The peasant village of Accomarca, Ayacucho, Peru faced this painful experience. The Peruvian military during this time killed men and women who were unarmed, children and many innocent people. The number of people reported to have died from this massacre was 69. This massacre was reported as one of the highest human rights violation by the government during its 20 years of internal conflict ("Accomarca massacre").
Escalation of the War
The actions of the government military motivated the actins of the Shinning Path. Instead of backing down from the attacks by the government, the movement increased their level of violence in the countryside. They attacked the police, civilians considered to be enemies of class and the military. The Shining Path used some inhumane and gruesome methods to kill their victims. These killings disrespected culture of the peasant farmers and turned many away from the Shining Path due to their fear ("Internal Conflict in Peru").
The retaliations by the peasant farmers against the shining path made the movement to start loosing its popularity. Various anti-Shinning Path movements were formed. The movement started getting weaker and disintegrated in the process. Their commanders were attacked and killed by the government army and the Rondas as well. In this act many men and women, children and pregnant women were killed as well (Stern 278).
Administration of Fujimori and his decline
The state of Peru began a widespread use of various agencies of intelligence under the leadership of Alberto Fujimori. He wanted to completely get rid of the Shining Path. Some of the crimes against humanity during the administration of Fujimori were committed by intelligence agencies of the National Intelligence Service. Such atrocities include the Santa Massacre, Barrios Altos Massacre and the La Centuta massacre.
Alberto Fujimori dissolved the national congress on April 5,1992 and abolished the constitution of Peru. This followed by the initiation of the Peruvian Constitutional Crisis on the same year. This president at that time took this action of dissolving the congress since the congress was slow at implementing anti terrorism legislations in the country. This slowness of the congress made him take the terrorism matter in his own hands. Fujimori established the creation of military courts to help interrogate suspects of the Shinning Path movement ("Shinning Path").
The Shining Path started losing its strengths following the administration of president Fujimori. They declared that they had reached their strategic equilibrium and that they are now ready to attack the cities. The movement in 1992 bombed the Miralores District in Lima, forming the largest bombing in Lima region.
The administration of Fujimori captured the leader of Shining Path, Guzman, together with several other associates of the Shinning Path. The capture and execution of most Shinning Path leaders led to its decline. However, the remaining supporters of the movement continued to conduct crimes but at a small scale.
In 2002, Alberto Fujimori was declared morally unfit to lead and he resigned from his administration the same year. His resignation was followed by the installation Valentin Paiagua, a former member of the congress into office of presidency (Burt 125).
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Valentin Paiagua formed this commission just after Alberto Fujimori resigned. This commission was stabled to help in the investigation of the Peru war. Lerner Ghitis headed the commission, the then President of the Catholic University Salomon. According the report compiled by the commission in 2003, 69,280 people had been killed from the war between 1980 and 2000. According to the estimations made by the commission report, the Shining Path contributed to 31,331 deaths, forming 46% of the total disappearances sand the deaths from the conflicts.
The report done by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission stated that the Shinning Path killed almost half the victims and almost one third of the victims died from the hands of the Peru government. Most of the people who were killed spoke Quechua as their mother tongue. This report was however surrounded by numerous controversies from the political parties, the military and church, which claimed that the members of commission were part of the previous government ("Internal Conflict in Peru").
Conclusion
The wars and internal conflicts might not have occurred in the Peru government did not meddle in the affairs of the Shining Path Movement. The Peruvian military committed many atrocities and human rights violations to fight against Terrorist Guerilla Organizations like the Shinning Path. Most governments such as Peru have gotten themselves in conducting tradeoffs when combating terrorism. There had been tradeoff between security and liberty in the country of Peru. It is however important to note that human rights and the respect for the rule of law should not be an obstacle when fighting terrorism by the government. The fight against terrorism should be done in an ethical manner to ensure that human rights are respected and the rule of law followed to the latter. Violating human right in the quest for liberty during the fight against terrorism has many consequences as far as the strength of the terrorist group is concerned. It also impacts negatively on the political and economic stability of the country. The national security concerns should be balanced against individual liberty when the government is fighting war against terrorism. The state have the liberty to suspend certain constitutional rights in fight against terrorism but this must be exercised within the framework of the rule of law. Many states however do not follow this concept and that is why countries like Peru had to go through such painful experiences. The executive arm of the go government seems to be playing a greater role in giving commands to fight terrorism. Most arms of the government are often left out in making terrorism decisions. The presidency of Peru made this mistake when it suspended the congress in 1992. These other branches of the government needs to be included in making decisions to fight terrorism other than suspend them. This must be done in respect to the nature of the situation and ensure that the rule of law is not marginalized. Peru remains a fractured society from the pains inflicted into it by its own government. The decision made by Fujimori in fighting terrorism resulted in much sorrow and the end did not justify the means.
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