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Thread: I just finished @Miguel_La_Serna new book on the MRTA, With Masses & Arms: Peru's Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, and I think a lot of my Peruvian and Peruvianist followers would like it.
La Serna fills multiple gaps with this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Masses-Arms-Revolutionary-Movement-Lillian/dp/1469655969
La Serna fills multiple gaps with this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Masses-Arms-Revolutionary-Movement-Lillian/dp/1469655969
The most obvious one is the lack of scholarly work on the MRTA, which is baffling when you consider that it was a major insurgent group and the hostage crisis at the Japanese ambassador’s residence was one of the most notable insurgent actions in South American history.
The only reason that there such a dearth of scholarly work on the MRTA is that Sendero was bigger, more violent, and frankly just weirder, and so it gets tons of attention at the expense of the MRTA. However, La Serna also fills other gaps. Because of the attention to Sendero and
the stigma with being associated with Sendero in any way whatsoever, there are very few accounts of the insurgency by the people who actually fought it. La Serna focuses on the stories of multiple people who fought in the ranks of the MRTA, from its highest leadership to its
lowest-level errand boys.
La Serna also does a remarkable job focusing on gender during the insurgency, demonstrating the difficulties that woman of all ranks faced within the MRTA as well as within Peruvian society as a whole.
The book is, of course, far from MRTA apologia.
La Serna also does a remarkable job focusing on gender during the insurgency, demonstrating the difficulties that woman of all ranks faced within the MRTA as well as within Peruvian society as a whole.
The book is, of course, far from MRTA apologia.
La Serna demonstrates the intolerance of the movement in three main areas: its murderous homophobia that led it to torture and kill gay people, its condescending bigotry toward Asháninka natives, and its relegation of women, even those within the movement, to a weird sort of
“second-class insurgent” status. However, it also isn’t part of the simplistic "salvation memory" that is worshipful of the armed forces. Even the "human rights memory" that sometimes focuses on the hard work of the police (especially the GEIN) in opposition to the brutality of
the military is challenged, as La Serna repeatedly brings up cases of torture and rape by DINCOTE.
La Serna also does a really good explaining the manner in which the MRTA sought to be ultra-Peruvian through its symbols and acts as a means of differentiating it from Sendero,
La Serna also does a really good explaining the manner in which the MRTA sought to be ultra-Peruvian through its symbols and acts as a means of differentiating it from Sendero,
which couldn’t stop itself from rattling on about Mao’s China.
My one (extremely minor) quibble with the book is related to this: it describes the MRTA’s flag as having two crossed rifles, but it actually has one rifle and one Incaic mace, yet another example of the MRTA linking
My one (extremely minor) quibble with the book is related to this: it describes the MRTA’s flag as having two crossed rifles, but it actually has one rifle and one Incaic mace, yet another example of the MRTA linking
its struggle to those from the days of yore. So, La Serna’s argument is even a bit stronger than he gives himself credit for. Like I said, a minor quibble.
I’m nerdy about reading footnotes and this book’s notes also provide a decent bibliography of works related to the armed
I’m nerdy about reading footnotes and this book’s notes also provide a decent bibliography of works related to the armed
conflict in Peru. I’ve read most of them, but did you know that there’s book about punk rock and the conflict? I didn’t, and now it’s on my Amazon wish list.
Anyway, very solid book, clearly important to studies of the conflict, and will likely spawn more research on the MRTA.
Anyway, very solid book, clearly important to studies of the conflict, and will likely spawn more research on the MRTA.
I very much recommend it.
