Dudley, Steven. 2006. Walking Ghosts: Murder and Guerrilla Politics in Colombia. Routledge Press: New York.

This book is an account of the life of Colombia’s Patriotic Union (UP) Party. Born out of peace negotiations between the FARC and the Colombian government in 1982-83 (26-27), it quickly grew in popularity as Colombians embraced the chance to end their decades long civil war between Communist organizations (FARC [Marxist], ELN [Maoist], M-19 [urban Marxist] (87-88). Tragically, it inspired the creation of the para-military organizations that eventually became the AUC, and its members were systematically killed en masse (130). The organization struggled to distinguish itself from the FARC and reject the doctrine of struggle by all available means (legal and illegal), but to no avail – its members were abandoned by the FARC, who used the party both as an opportunity to expand its army and a martyr for future combat and were relentlessly persecuted by the military and the AUC. With the demise of the leading candidates of the Socialist Left the party disintegrated (165-166), although the shell of the organization carried on, still under constant threat, until the government electoral commission concluded that it lacked support and struck it from the rolls (230).

The book itself is well-written, as Dudley is a journalist by trade, and so writes with a story-tellers flair. At times he repeats information, and the editors let more typos slip by than they should have, but it’s a quick and worthwhile read. For me, it highlights a couple of interesting (and sad) phenomena. First, it confirms my belief that, given the relatively low cost of weapons, any organization with a solid income base can maintain a capacity for violence perpetually. So the FARC was not brought to heel by the government, but it also lacked the popularity (or the government lacked the brittleness) to completely take over the Colombian state. So a bloody conflict persists wherein both sides are locked in a stalemate. Second, it provides additional evidence for my fear that “peace-makers” tend to get killed at alarming rates in these conflicts. The UP became a lightning rod for both intellectuals and activists tired of violence and for anti-Communist sentiment. And so when the UP tried to reject violence and fully embrace the political process, it was ruthlessly destroyed, because, while it had supporters, it had no army. And the track record of good-will vs. bullets is uninspiring. These two facts then make me continue to ponder the difficulties in created peaceful settlements between warring parties – cause creating alternatives seems to be a good way to get the pacific leaders in society killed, but speaking only to the parties in conflict reinforces their identity claims. It’s all very difficult. And a touch depressing.

In summary – good book, should be read for factual background and not as theory or a general study of the conflict, but can be read quickly and easily.