Colombia: Key people and parties.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC): is the largest guerrilla group in Colombia. Established in 1964, fights for a revolutionary state based on Marxist-Leninist principles. It still exerts influence in the country’s south-west (Cauca, Narino and Putumayo departments) and north-east (Arauca department).

The Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): are responsible for developing and implementing the government’s strategy in intrastate armed conflict on the ground. Human rights groups have accused the army of collaborating with paramilitary groups and extrajudicial killings.

The United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC): is an umbrella organisation comprising several regional paramilitary groups, aimed to push back (and ultimately extinguish) the FARC and the ELN. Founded in 1997, the AUC was disbanded from 2003 to 2006, but some factions still operate or have moved into micro drug cartels.

The National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN): is a Marxist guerrilla group set up in 1964. Its short-term goal is to establish a demilitarised zone (despeje) in the north-western department of Bolívar and the north-eastern part of Antioquía. It has a stormy relationship with the FARC.

Civilians: Civilians have often been targeted by all parties. Colombia has the third largest population of internally displaced people in the world, with around 4.5 million people. Most of these people tend to be poor indigenous farmers and fisherman, and particularly those of the Afro-Caribbean community who have suffered disproportionate levels of violence through the history of conflict in the country.