Danish Film about the FARC

juancegomez says on Feb 17, 2006, 08:39:

... First off, I haven't seen the film myself, but I've read about it on that site and elsewhere since it was announced. I've also even seen a couple of different movie clips here and there, as well as promotional material, so I'm basing my opinions on that. I would prefer to see the entire movie, though I don't expect to be surprised.

In essence, it seems like a relatively boring movie, being as out of context as it appears to be. Yes, there are reasonably normal people in the FARC, but there are also reasonably normal human beings in the AUC or in the Colombian Army. I don't see how such an argument changes things.

Now, the little speech about the "tax" that you mention is old news. It's just the FARC wanting to sustain a semi-"politically correct" argument (in European leftie circles), despite the fact that their hands have increasingly become much more dirty, ever since they began to take advantage of the drug business after they saw the opportunities it offered.

To pretend, as the FARC argues, that they are doing nothing more than what they were doing at the beginning of their involvement (a little "tax") is naive. It's like thinking that they are "frozen in time", in "revolutionary purity" or something like that. This doesn't make everybody in the FARC a druglord, no, but the opposite isn't true either.

From his statements, the director, Mr. Poulsen, sounds like just another orthodox communist at heart, so in the middle of his romantic notions the FARC would be a fundamentally "cool" thing. Nothing will easily change that view, so I won't even try.

It's also good to know that at least one Colombian saw the entire film and was critical of it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

litost says on Feb 17, 2006, 09:04:

What a surprise... this from the same country that ignited the whole Mohammed cartoon scandals. Makes me think life is so freakin boring up there that they have nothing better to do than create exotic fantasies and dwell in them.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

BrujoMontez says on Feb 17, 2006, 11:16:

Guerrilla vs. Crime Nobody really knows the true situation in Colombia regarding the Guerrillas. Colombia has always had guerrilla activity because of the need to change things that cannot be changed through politics. (our topography also makes it easy for these groups to hide out) The Modern day Guerrillas in Colombia, however, have no "noble cause" and aren't supported by any "Popular movement". They are feared and hated by the country's people. They have an agenda of confescating lands by terrorizing rural areas, to grow and sell drugs on them, working hand in hand with the Mafia. They want to gain control of the country so they can make it easier to transport drugs. They are the Mafia's Millitia! And they are very well armed. The extremely lucrative drug trade pays for very advanced weapons that the guerrillas use. We are lucky that we have been able to confront them sometimes successfully, since they are very powerfull, ruthless, barbaric and inspire fear in all Colombians. Those that join them, only do so because they we're probably left homeless by guerilla attacks or have no other way of supporting their families and feeding their children but to join them. In my opinion is that they are evil, they terrorize colombia and we have somehow leaned to live with them. Lately our Military, with president Uribe leading the way, we have been able to defeat them in our tireless and unrelenting dedication bring peace to our country, although having all the odds against us. Most Guerrilla activity is normally confined to remote and unpopulated areas such as the Amazonas and Los Llanos, hot jungle territories where very few people live. In the past, however, they have been able to enter major cities like Medellin and Bogota' and attack essential power facilities. OMG, Does anyone remember when Uribe was bieng sworn into office at the Presidential Ceremony in Bogota'? When they were sending bombs and missles into the buildings as he was being sworn in. Parts of the Presidential Palace were being blasted away and the cameras were shaking. I'll never forget that, all the smoke and explosions while it was being televized around the world. The Inauguration only lasted 3 minutes and the President had to flee into hiding. Wow!
So yeah, we have come a long way since then. It almost seems like we are winning against the war with the guerrillas (plural because there are many guerrilla groups, not just the FARC). But they are up to no good and their political control would be devastating the Colombia. Luckily most places visitors will go they won't encounter them. (accept those Biologists who decide to just wander though the beautiful jungles of the Amazon)

Crime in Colombia is less than you would imagine. Most huge crimes are politically motivated. Street crime is not as bad as some other latin countries. Some cities are known to be unsafe, Bogota'(being the Capital, it is alot like a colombian New York,..cosmopolitan and urbane, kenetic, congested, somewhat cold, in weather and in character, even the tall brick buildings remind me of New York), Cali also has more crime, as in most larger cities. Small and medium sized cities are usually very safe in colombia, and your more likely to encounter a murder in Cleveland than in Manizales. That's fact. So long as you are aware of your surroundings, you should have no problem whatsoever. Colombians totally embrace visitors, and they will immediately put you at ease. Colombians love to have guests and make them as comfortable as humanly possible. They will joke with you, talk with you, Invite you places, and even spending a good deal of their savings just showing you around. You will make many friends.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Wastelandlive says on Feb 17, 2006, 12:38:

Always fun to meet a new member Hi Brujo.

Wasteland

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Miguel_Clavo says on Feb 18, 2006, 01:18:

Alot of what you write is very true, BrujoMontez.. However, i would also like to mention that last year Manizales and Caldas in general had a banner year for homicides, including multiple-homicides...and its not really a good idea to be a late night taxi driver there either. I agree that Uribe is having a major impact with the guerillas, paramilitares, and druglords. Its an uphill battle, but he is going in the right direction, and people must realize its not going to change overnight. The country's topography is a real obstacle as well.

But Uribes drug and guerilla war does have its casualties. Any time i start feeling down about how sometimes i feel i have been dealt a bad hand, i reflect back on a military hospital in Bogota i visited one time. I have never seen so many young, 18-30 year old, Colomian servicemen and police officers missing so many body parts due to landmines, frag grenades, boobytraps, tripwires, and the list goes on. You havent lived until you only have one or no legs, arms, or hands. And these kids will only have their medical bills paid, and a paltry stipend to live on after discharge. Kind of make my problems insignificant.

Colombians are in my opinion among the nicest and friendliest people in the world. Their character and nature will allow them to survive their current problems.

One thing that i wish Uribe would get in his head, is that while dismantling the paramilitaries is a good thing, forgiving their atrocities is not a good thing. My prediction is that the paramilitary command staff will "go legit" and become part of the "Political Process" and use it for their personal gain, and the stain of corruption will get a booster shot. This will make Uribes efforts at getting rid of this cancer more difficult.

Just my opinion,

Miguel_Clavo

"I would rather die living life, than to live a dying life."........ Oh, and my PM is always ON. Great Bumper Sticker: "Home of the Free, Because of the Brave"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

juancegomez says on Feb 18, 2006, 09:42:

... "One thing that i wish Uribe would get in his head, is that while dismantling the paramilitaries is a good thing, forgiving their atrocities is not a good thing."

It's not only a matter of "good things" though. How exactly do you intend for these people, or even the FARC, to voluntarily give up arms if they don't get some benefits in exchange?

Perhaps the current benefits may be too many for some (even if they are still harsher than all the blanket amnesties offered in the past), I can agree with that to an extent...but to pretend, as some appear to do, that no benefits at all should be offered basically makes any negotiation meaningless, whether it is with the AUC or the FARC/ELN.

"My prediction is that the paramilitary command staff will "go legit" and become part of the "Political Process" and use it for their personal gain, and the stain of corruption will get a booster shot. This will make Uribes efforts at getting rid of this cancer more difficult."

It's a tricky subject, not an easy one to address, not without lots of speculation .

But let's see...if, in theory, they would be "going legit" by eventually complying with the necessary requirements and keeping to the terms of the law, any personal gain and corruption that results will need addressing, but it will be an entirely different matter.

Perhaps even one that's easier to handle, if you think about it. Or perhaps not, it depends. Remember, this is all speculation, of course.

It may well turn out, as it seems to be the case, that some people will definitely comply with the law while others definitely won't. Which, logically, still makes the rest of the details of the situation rather difficult to predict.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jccg says on Feb 20, 2006, 12:00:

litost "What a surprise... this from the same country that ignited the whole Mohammed cartoon scandals"
So, must I undesrtand you approbe the destruction and attacks from the muslim fanatics? Cristo has been put in cartoons so many times so what? It is very funny how some people (I don't say litost do) approbe the killing of musulmans by petroleum, criticize their culture by using black dresses, and support the USA imperial procedures, but then they say they "respect" the musulman culture by not publishing a stupid cartoon (read CNN).
By the way, insult people that have pronounced a critic, is a clear proof that there is not an argument to refute the critic

This is just the true!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

NorwegianMale says on Feb 20, 2006, 12:10:

Download the film Anybody know where I can download the film by using Bittorrent?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

juancegomez says on Feb 20, 2006, 12:24:

... I would like to know that myself, though for different reasons I imagine. No such luck yet.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cali373 says on Mar 1, 2006, 10:26:

BrujoMontez, I would say you are incorrect. The AUC is the mafia's militia.

Smile if you are a thinker!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

juancegomez says on Mar 1, 2006, 13:51:

... I am quite confident that you'll find plenty of people from each illegal armed group that, for most purposes, serve as the militia of some mafia or another, if you know where to look (say, the FARC's Bloque Oriental).

0 funny, 0 helpful.