In recent news, numerous commentators are stating that the Islamic State is on its way out in the Middle East, citing multiple military losses by its forces; however, its decline is nothing compared to the Colombian rebel group, Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia), who are actually disarming themselves.
Historically, the Farc is a far- left guerrilla group dedicated to promoting a Marxist style government and a return to agrarianism, and anti- imperialism. In the past decades, the Farc has committed numerous state crimes, (drug trafficking, kidnapping, and ransom demands) and crimes against humanity (sexual assault, mass violence, etc.) in their ongoing hostilities with the Colombian and other South American governments. The Farc has been received differently by locals depending on area, and economic status. Many peasants rely on the Farc for protection, food, medicine, etc. Recently, in June the Farc signed a cease- fire with the Colombian government, the government would help establish the Farc as an official party, and help fund agrarian societies, and in return the Farc would cease conflicts, disarm land mines, and seek to destroy any illegal crops previously utilized by their organisation. In the article I posted, the Farc was handing over a handful of child soldiers employed by their group, and even raising their minimum recruitment age to 18, as to prevent any more children from enlisting. Their claim was “to return the young people to their families”, interestingly enough, most of their younger recruits enlisted to escape poverty and/ or domestic violence. In my opinion, the Farc fears the Colombian government will fail to ratify the aforementioned cease- fire and agreement to an official party establishment, so these recent releases of children, are the Farc attempting to gain a large portion of public sympathy. They do label themselves nationalists, and as they moderate themselves, attempting to appear as civil as possible, many Colombians might be considering them a valid governmental option. It would be incredibly interesting, to say the least, to see essentially a guerrilla group that is responsible for over 220,000 deaths, take power democratically in a country that has a fairly developed political institution.