rears of increasing militarisation, beeinning under forme was already under military dented even by Latin American standards. prevent thesp wread of i cholera. Millions have lost jobs, with no aid or benefits This economic policy has been carried out in the shadow of the military. Like other Latin American countries during the period of so-called democratic pening' in the carly 1980s, the military it Peru retained significant influence in the state apparatus.
However, increasing power for the military has any greater efficiency in its protracted war with Sendero An MRTA patrol in th Luminoso or Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement The Peruvian Army is 50,000 strong compared with 5,000 Sendero and 1,000 MRTA. THE MILITARY coup unleashed in Peru last month followed President Alan Garcia. Before April, 40 per cent of the country control or administration. July 1990, he imposed an austerity programme that was unprece The results have been bitter - the economy has plunged further into recession and shanty town markets were closed to try and On the contrary, Sendero is apparently extending its influence, in particular in the capital Lima. Sendero believe they are nearing the threshold of the 'strategic offensive for taking Article 82 of the Peruvian Constitution states that the people have the right to rise up against an illegally constituted government - which is clearly the case with Fujimori's ad. ministration Sendero have been milking the situation to gain international legitimacy. With the subsequent rise in repression, Sendero are better placed i han any other organisation to respond. Increas ingly they are seen as the only effective form of opposition there is. Initially Sendero's violence was directed against corrupt ele ments, families that had often ruthlessly dominated whole Pro-Shining Path gratfiti at a graveyard on Lima's outskirts communities for centuries. This won them suppor But with the spread of their actvity, many on the 'eruvian left began to characterise Sendero not so much as Maoist but as Pol Potist. The reason? Sendero began to attack the left as much as the right.
They have been responsible for the 'execution' of important trade union and peasant leaders. neor their most recent victims was a leading activist in the women's movement. Maria Elena Moyano.
Vicious
How is it that Sendero have been able to continue to grow despite their particularly vicious form of sectarianism?
They move into a community, kill the rich and the police, and then leave. The Army move in to find out whe the leaders of this community are. Iney are sitea, wey assa? pear, or are and out what to They out what families helped Sendero and then kill Sendero return to find out who informed on the people who were killed. Those who are found guilty are then killed. Sendero then leave.
In these conditions the poor re squeezed between the army are faced with a choice in a climate of fear. Puriner, membersmp or support for Sendero guarantees food every day.
Democratic workers and peasants organisations are Where such organisations have developed, Sendero has been smashed.
This is what happened in the district of Puno, in the northwest of the country Sendero first emerged. Where васп обкалватоль парс пог developed, Sendero has grown.
Significant sections of the Latin American left have for many years understood the centrality of democracy to the overall struggle for socialism.
But Sendero have quite consciously rejected this. They seck to be the only organisation leading the mass movement -whether the Peruvian masses like it or not.
constitution on a two