Situation
This 18.5 minute video shows what local people did to mitigate organized criminal activities (drug cartel types and lumberjacks) in a small town located in the Mexican state of Michoacan. For three years, people in this small down were murdered, kidnapped, robbed and extorted.
This video is about a group of women who set the conditions for a local rebellion which seized control of their local government to rid their community of organized criminal influence. The video underlines the importance that organized criminal activity can be disrupted if the people band together- yes, it comes with risk.
People of Cheran Revolt
The people of Cheran suffered under heavy organized criminal influence over a three to four year period, then finally had an uprising in 2011 to take back their community. The church, not the municipal office, served as the foundation for command, control and communication over their community. From there the locals developed a plan of action to establish security. The locals then studied how to establish their own form of governance.
Failed Governance
Ironically, it was the police who helped the criminals rob the people, and a civilian government (local, state and national) that failed to act. See how the people stand up for themselves.
Lessons Learned and the Significance
This is a good news story. The successes of counterinsurgency is rooted in the ability of the people to take control of their government; NOT by constantly relying on their government to run everything for them. In 2007, Iraq experienced such an incident that changed the whole outcome of the conflict in Iraq. There are indications some of this is happening in Afghanistan as well. There’s much to learn from this video.
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