Radical Movements Archive

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Ever since Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez stepped in to act as a mediator between rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government, hopes have been raised about the possibility of brokering a deal to secure the release of high-profile hostages held by the guerrilla group. But difficult obstacles to an agreement remain. Chavez’s active role has been enthusiastically welcomed by the international community, the Colombian government and by the FARC. “President Chávez’s . . . ability, his shrewdness, and the prestige he has gained on the continent will help to resolve the […]

VIENNA, Austria — Jamel, Germany, is haunted. Fastened onto the plains near the Baltic Sea, Jamel is a hamlet of a few dozen people; a quiet retreat from a quickened world. But this would-be sleepy little outback stirs with trouble, strangled by the choke hold that a clan of neo-Nazis have held it in for more than 15 years. Led by 30-something-year-old Sven Krueger, the gang of neo-Nazis has rooted out anyone who has dared to complain about their Nazi celebrations, their Nazi music blasting, their Nazi flags waving or the Nazi graffiti that mars the city’s infrastructure. Residents who […]

DENPASAR Indonesia — After 20 years in exile, José María Síson was arrested in Utrecht, Holland, Aug. 28 and charged with ordering the murder of two dissidents of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Although he now calls himself a “consultant” to Asia’s oldest rebel movement, Síson is widely perceived to be the leader of the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), both of which he founded nearly 40 years ago. His arrest has given rise to a whirlwind of opinions, with some experts stating that it could be a severe blow to the […]

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Uncertainty about Lebanon’s political stability in an atmosphere of increasing sectarian division and rumors that Hezbollah is beefing up for an offensive against Israel are testing the allegiances of women loyal to the paramilitary group. Given the influence of women in Hezbollah, their ambivalence has the potential to spread further and ultimately shake the foundation of its political support among Lebanon’s Shiites. While tens of thousands gathered last month to commemorate the anniversary of Hezbollah’s self-declared “divine victory” against Israel (which left more than 1,200 Lebanese and 150 Israelis dead), some Hezbollah supporters question whether the sectarian […]