19 November 2007
''Shining Path's Resurgence in Peru''
Between August and September 2007, Peruvian soldiers captured as many as 45 members of the Peruvian insurgent movement known as Sendero Luminoso, or Shining Path. In September, there were intelligence reports that there had been a summit of Shining Path leaders in the Peruvian region of Huánuco. Later, in early October, Peruvian Admiral Jorge Montoya expressed his concern about the spreading of Shining Path's ideology within Peru's major universities. Events and declarations like Montoya's, in addition to continuous attacks by the militants against the country's security forces, seem to confirm that the Shining Path is reestablishing some influence.How Strong is Shining Path Today?In 1980, Abimael Guzman, a philosophy professor who called himself "Comrade Gonzalo," founded Shining Path to carry out an armed struggle to seize power and name himself president of the country. The group launched the uprising on May 17, 1980, with an attack on the town of Chuschi, in the southern province of Ayacucho, but collapsed in 1992 with the arrest of Guzman and his chieftains in downtown Lima. Approximately 70,000 people died as a result of the war.Currently, a fighter known only as "Artemio" is the only high-profile Shining Path leader still on the loose. He operates the insurgent group's remaining units in Peru's central jungle region. The force calls itself Proseguir, and compromises 200-300 insurgents. An example of the Shining Path's remaining strength and organization is the so-called Southern Company of the Central Region Committee, which operates in the region of Ayacucho (Shining Path's birthplace) and constitutes a force of approximately 80 men, moving in units of 15-20 rebels.Shining Path's Current Attacks and Propaganda CampaignThe new version of Shining Path, in spite of being a relatively small force, has managed to inflict damage on the country's military and police force by resorting to hit-and-run ambushes of small convoys and patrols. In December 2006, Shining Path killed five Peruvian police officers and two workers from the National Coca Company -- the only authorized seller of coca in the country. In January 2007, the rebels ambushed two Peruvian policemen while they traveled in their vehicle near the town of Churcampa in the region of Huancavelica. One policeman died and another was injured. In September, Shining Path rebels utilized long-range rifles to shoot at counter-insurgency army bases in the Peruvian regions of Junín and Ayacucho. In order to strengthen their group, Shining Path fighters resort to taking equipment from the soldiers and policemen that they attack.
November 2007In addition to attacks, the Shining Path leadership is also attempting to gain sympathy among the masses, particularly the inhabitants of the Andes and the Amazon regions.
Whenever Shining Path insurgents visit an inhabited area, they also leave leaflets praising "Presidente Gonzalo" (Guzman) and calling for a renewed people's war. In early September, witnesses detailed how they had seen groups of Shining Path insurgents walking across the small towns of Huánuco region. The belief is that there was a high-level meeting among the remaining Shining Path leadership, with Artemio as the "keynote speaker." At least two Shining Path leaders ("Comrade Lee" and "Comrade Maradona") are believed to have attended the meeting, each with a security detail of 20-25 insurgents. Counter-Insurgency OperationsThe Peruvian military has also engaged in several operations with somewhat encouraging results. In mid-April, in the town of Tingo María (some 500 kilometers, or 311 miles, southeast of Lima), the police arrested Jimmy Rodriguez, a senior Shining Path leader believed to be close to Artemio and wanted for four murders. So far, the biggest success story for the Peruvian government was the capture between August and September of as many as 45 Shining Path members, ranging from fighters to supporters.
In addition, in late October, three Shining Path members were detained: "Comrade Alex," "Comrade Shego" and "Comrade Huamán," all alleged members of the insurgent group's death squad in charge of selective murders, including a June ambush that killed three policemen. Nevertheless, Artemio has yet to be captured (his identity is still unknown), and despite the capture of dozens of Shining Path members the movement continues to exist, suggesting that its numbers may be greater than originally thought.ConclusionToday, the Peruvian government lacks a concise internal security plan, as well as the necessary funds and equipment required to combat guerrilla movements. Although the Peruvian military has made notable efforts in recent months to capture the remaining Shining Path leaders, much more would be needed to stop the movement.The inability of past administrations, particularly Alejandro Toledo's in 2001-2006, to develop the rural areas of Peru's Andean and Amazon regions where Shining Path is located has allowed the group to once again gain support Unless immediate action is taken by Peru's government and military, Shining Path, in its new Proseguir version could become a more threatening force with which to contend.
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