United Self Defense Forces of Columbia (AUC) Terrorist Group

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United Self Defense Forces of Columbia (AUC) Terrorist Group 

The AUC also widely known as paramilitaries is an organization that was formed in 1997 as an umbrella organization to consolidate other regional and local self-defense groups. As explored by Garcia in the Terrorism Project the founders and leaders were Carlos and Fidel Castaño. After the death of Fidel Castaño the leadership of AUC was converted to a nine-member consortium while Carlos Castaño dedicated himself to the political part of the organization. According to Combs and Slann the aim of the AUC is to combat insurgents locally as well as provision of economic protection (347). The AUC gets its support from drug traffickers, economic elites and those from the local community claiming not to have enough security from the government. The organization’s main objective is to offer security to the sponsors from the insurgents.

Since the 1960s, the Government of Columbia was faced with the problem of combating self-defense groups that employed guerrilla warfare tactics. In time, these groups gained control of many local regions and the government conceded defeat leaving some of the local areas under the control of these defense groups and armed citizens (Combs and Slann 347). In the rural areas, the guerrilla tactics employed by these defence groups is more intense than the one employed by the government military taking up the role of paramilitaries and in most cases they are involved in activities that are not in accordance to the law. These groups include the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN). The government joined forces with The AUC in order to wipe out members of these self-defense groups that were involved in guerrilla warfare tactics.

The AUC has terrorised suspected civilians through assassinations, massacres, intimidations and kidnapping (Combs and Slann 347). Through support of this group, most government officials have been accused of supporting terrorist activities. This is a group that is well known for its violent killing methods therefore being accused of violating human rights in Columbia. The group derives its strength from the large number of members. Today, the group boasts of more than 10,000 members both in paramilitary and unarmed members mainly due to its involvement in drug trafficking.

According to Etats-Unis and the Department of State the AUC paramilitary force operates mainly from the Northwest Columbia where it was first formed (66). The regions where the group has its dominant operations are Antioquia, Sucre, Atlantico, Cesar, Bolivar Departments in association with other affiliate groups at the coffee region, Meta Department, Valle del Cauca. The AUC has not directly targeted the United States and its allies though it is involved in activities like drug trafficking that affect the United States directly. Unlike other terrorist groups that are being driven by Islamic views to fight the United States and its allies, the AUC is not religiously motivated. Their greatest motivation is the protection of the economic elites in Columbia against other self-defense groups. Members are from the country of Columbia and Spanish is the main language of communication.

The United States government as explored by Etats-Unis and the Department of State is very keen about fighting acts of terrorism after September 11 2001 and AUC poses a major challenge to the United States military due to their terrorist activities that involve merciless killings (65). The paramilitary forces are growing by the numbers each year with affiliation with the government of Columbia making it for the United States military to eliminate them. The United States government is currently teaming up with other organizations like the United Nations in the view of eliminating the AUC terrorist group.

In conclusion, the AUC was founded in 1997 with the view of helping the government fight other self-defense groups that employed guerrilla tactics as well as provide protection for the economic elites. The group gets its support from drug traffickers, economic elites and those from the local community claiming not to have enough security from the government. The AUC has terrorised suspected civilians through assassinations, massacres, intimidations and kidnapping. The group does not directly target the United States and its allies though their activities like drug trafficking are bound to affect the United States directly. Due to the group’s strong affiliation with the government of Columbia, it has been difficult for the United States military to eliminate the group.

Works Cited

Combs, Cindy and Slann, Martin. Encyclopaedia of Terrorism. New York: InfoBase Publishing, 2007.

Etats-Unis and Department of State. Patterns of Global Terrorism. USA: Government Printing Office, 2002.

Garcia, Victoria. Terrorism Project. CDI. September 23, 2002. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/auc.cfm” http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/auc.cfm