Learning to Kill by Proxy: Colombian Paramilitaries and the Legacy of Central American Death Squads, Contras, and Civil Patrols

Part of a special section on the intersection of ideologies of violence. An examination of the origins of Colombian paramilitaries in the cold war era, when the U.S. helped the Colombian and Central American governments set up proxy paramilitary forces in its battle against “international Communism”...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sanford, Victoria (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2003
In: Social justice
Year: 2003, Volume: 30, Issue: 3, Pages: 63-81
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
American military assistance
Cold War, 1945-1991
Colombia > Foreign relations > United States
Communism
Human Rights
Military relations
Paramilitary forces
Political Violence
Description
Summary:Part of a special section on the intersection of ideologies of violence. An examination of the origins of Colombian paramilitaries in the cold war era, when the U.S. helped the Colombian and Central American governments set up proxy paramilitary forces in its battle against “international Communism” is presented. The horrific consequences that this paramilitarism had for Colombian and Central American society during the 1960s to the late 20th century are considered. An update on the impact of paramilitarism on human rights in contemporary Colombia, and on the ramifications for peace in the region, is provided.