More Than Just Bullets: Media, Technology, and Insurgency

"Junior" Jacob M. Robinson
MCCNM 336
Fall 2003

• Introduction
• Insurgency And Communication: A Brief History
• Alternative media And Technology Embraced By Dissent
• Guerrilla Warfare And The Digital Demise Of Oppression
• Conclusion
• References

With a continued onslaught of social injustice the shot of insurgency has been and continues to be heard around the world. From the jungles of Latin America to urban areas set as a platform for dissidents, insurgency has become, for many, an only means and solution for social change. This very resistance has become a resistance for survival; and technology and the media have played key roles in organizing, maintaining solidarity, and communication within insurrection. In the midst of chaos technology's role is of great importance as more than just bullets have been used to cut a path towards change.

Gone are the days when guerrillas highjack small planes or helicopters in order to fly over villages dropping revolutionary leaflets. With the advance of technology and access to interactive mediums such as the Internet, revolutionary movements have the means to create war at their fingertips. Today, although the concept of highjacking to deliver a message is the same, the channels of communication are far more powerful and the reach is global.

Insurgency And Communication: A brief History Back to index

A history of revolutionary applications of communication technology can be written with a view taken from just about every country and covering a whole spectrum of motives, tactics, and results. However for the sake of space, what is laid out here is but a few examples of insurgency interlaced with the use of communication technologies.

Before the Mexican Revolution was in motion with thousands of armed peasants engaged in war across the country there were the Flores Magon Brothers, Jesus, Enrique, and Ricardo, who played an instrumental role in assembling the masses with their newspaper Regeneracion (Regeneration). The Magons set out to confront the Diaz regime and the corrupt government of Mexico (Meyer, Sherman, Deeds, 1999). The distribution of shocking literature is nothing new when it comes to revolution and the interaction was over a slow period of time as the medium they used was hardly interactive. But this example unfolds here for one reason, they helped clear a path towards contemporary revolutionary thought and put forth a key element in revolution, that of the dissemination of a message. .

It was General Francisco “Pancho” Villa, leader of revolutionary forces in Northern Mexico, who would be one of the first radicals to use an electronic medium for purposes of insurgency. In 1914 villa employed the aid of The Mutual Film Company, who traveled into Mexico for production of a full-length feature film. The film, however, was over-dramatized but it did include footage of actual battle scenes shot throughout Revolutionary Mexico (Mclynn, 2002).

The creation of this film helped maintain revolutionary fervor in Mexico and swayed the sentiments of many who carried unrest for Villa's Revolution. Again the interaction was almost non-existent, but this account is highlighted here as an historical example of revolutionary's use of electronic communication mediums.

For centuries to come communication in warfare would advance at a slow pace. Large-scale armies could deliver messages through the use of such technological devices as the telegraph, wireless telegraphy, or the later, two-way-radios. But it would take a great evolution of technology before interactive media became prevalent with insurgent movements partly because of the fact that many of the devices used in traditional warfare were not readily available for insurgents.

Close to three decades Following Villa and The Mexican Revolution, however, the North Vietnamese Army would shock the world as they waged a Guerrilla movement utilizing several interactive mediums on the frontlines. Perhaps the most notable example of interactive media used by the Vietcong was the way they built a network of communication underground in tunnels stretching some two hundred to three hundred miles in some areas, from Northern Vietnam to Siagon.Vietnam Veteran and Communications Specialist for the U.S. Army, L. Alvardo has stated that, Even though the U.S. controlled the major communication centers such as those in Siagon, Dinang, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, or Phu Quoc, the Vietcong were just as effective if not more so than the U.S. because of their use of sophisticated radio equipment; which allowed them to communicate underground in tunnels and which the U.S. could not pinpoint a signal (Personal communication, December 3, 2003). < p>

Similarly, Ernesto “Che” Guevara and a small band of insurgents raged with a guerrilla war in Bolivia from 1966 to 1967. The revolutionary forces in Bolivia also had advanced radio communication to interact from insurgent to insurgent but unlike the Vietcong there was no vast underground networks of communication for the rebel forces. Consequently, Che's movement lacked a necessary element in the form of massive solidarity. This proved to be fatal and maybe the situation would've been altered for the revolutionary forces it they would've had interactive technologies at their disposal such as the many that are employed within revolutionary movements of today (Guevara, 1961). With the advent of many different channels of communication in the years to come, we would begin to see insurgency's path cleared with more than just bullets, as the use of these technologies would be vital within different struggles. < p> Alternative media And Technology Embraced By Dissent Back to index

With insurgency, many are the levels of confrontation. And, alternative media and technology have been embraced not just by armed insurrectionary groups but also by other dissidents who, nonetheless, still struggle for change. Even though their methods may not be the same, there are movements like guerrillas in Latin American jungles who's use of technology is just as demanding.

During the Civil Rights Movements for example, activist turned to alternative media. Chicanos in the Southwest built a network of communication and solidarity by utilizing independent media as well as applying pressure to the mainstream (Vigil, 1999). Communication was vital for many movements survival.

As Valerie Steeves states, we have already seen the phenomenal impact open communications can have on human rights in the international arena. The fact that the Chinese government couldn't stop the flow of information both into and out of China during Tienamen Square or that the former Soviet Union was unable to keep its citizens from accessing Western news electronically impacted both the internal and external politics of those countries. Repressive regimes now face a unique problem. As information becomes the stock in trade of the new global political economy, they are forced to rely upon a communication infrastructure which they can not control (Steves,2003). This does not, however, stop governments from trying.

Many times mainstream media, with their hidden agenda, will portray a slanted reality as to the motives and actions of dissident movements. There are those, however, who are not afraid to shout back that, “The emperor isn't wearing any clothes,” as they set out to expose the truth using alternative media for information and interactive avenues of communication for solidarity. A vast array of movements have survived from within the state because of the simple use of technology.

Professor DeeDee Halleck of the University of California in San Diego, makes an interesting point here, for as the global movement for justice and accountability arose to counter globalization there was finally a recognition of the importance of alternative media. The anti-globalization movement sees clearly that corporate media is an integral part of the problem. For these activist, creating new ways of communicating must be part of the solution (Halleck, 2002).

During the WTO protest that ravaged several U.S. cities activist were urged to look beyond mainstream media for information and towards other interactive avenues for communication within the ranks of protestors. The Internet has spawned a wealth of alternative resources. These include activist and journalist reporting for The Independent Media Center www.indymedia.org, Free Speech TV www.freespeech.org, Corporate Watch www.corpwatch.org, World Trade Observer www.worldtradeobserver.org, and the Seattle Weekly and LA weekly, www.seattleweekly.com, www.laweekly.com (Campbell, 2003).

Alternative media and interactive technology have been formidable weapons used by dissidents. In the Philippines protestors who were using cell-phone text messaging were able to mobilize hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to help bring on the removal of the former president (Perry, 2001). While in Mexico City, students shut down the Biggest University in Latin America, UNAM, in protest to tuition increases and other demands. Because the students had access to interactive technology such as the Internet, they were able to amass global solidarity and even gain the support of the Zapatista National Liberation Army in Southern Mexico.

It was once said that, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” and in these instances, words sent out through cyberspace have proved to be mightier than any AK-47.

In contemporary times revolutionary movements have been utilizing other avenues to fight oppression. Guerrilla movements have begun to wage digital warfare. The victories revolutionaries have had have been many with their use of interactive technology for communication from insurgent to insurgent, and on a global scale, as a means to gain solidarity. It is estimated that there are over 80 guerrilla groups online (Millers, 2003). The Tamil Elam Tiger Squads in Sri Lanka, for example, have used the internet to enter heated debate with the current president of the country.

The Hamas Movement Of Islamic Society maintains a website to disseminate a cyber-guerrilla campaign. And the IRA in Northern Ireland or the New People's Army In the Philippines are also engaged in rebellion that takes course over the information super-highway. Likewise, The Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement who are Fighting In Peru is another group that set out to shock the world arena through the use of their website.

Using more than just bullets, revolutionaries have opened up a new age of warfare, one in which the fight against oppression will be fought through electronic means. As these groups open fire digitally their movements become more and more difficult to silence.

The Zapatista Army Of National Liberation (EZLN) in Southern Mexico have laid out a good model of resistance through the use of interactive means. With the Mexican Government trying to silence them, they turned to alternative mediums of communication such as independent film, music, cell-phone technology, and especially the Internet. In the 1990's the Zapatistas successfully hacked into the Mexican government's website to use the Internet to spread their own message (Beckett 2001). With the use of this technology they have gained global solidarity and the culture of resistance that they have created in Mexico has been a digital one.

Conclusion Back to index

Interactive media has found place within the ranks of revolution, as the many devices of communication are formidable tools for insurgent use. With many injustices around the world an aura of dissent has taken shape and resistance has been the only solution. The survival of many resistance movements is due in part to the access of interactive technologies, as the battlefield has turned into one with shots of code fired along with bullets.

Beckett, I. (2001) Forward To The Past. Harvard International Review, 07391854, Vol. 23, Issue 2. Retrieved November 16, 2003, From Academic Search Premier, World Wide Web: http://web25.epnet.com

Campbell, R. (2003) Media & Culture: An Introduction To Mass Communication. (3rd ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martins.

Cleaver, H. The Zapatistas And The Electronic Fabric Of Struggle. [Article posted on website]. Retrieved November 14, 2003 From the World Wide Web: http://www.isoc.org/whatis/conferences/inet/96/proceeding/el/el_3.htm

Guevara, C. (1961). Guerrilla Warfare. Lincoln: University Of Nebraska Press.

Halleck, D. (2002, July 20). Gathering Storm: The Open Cyber Forum Of Indymedia. [Paper posted on website]. Retrieved December 4, 2003, From the World Wide Web: http://www.ourmedianet.org/eng/papers/om2002/Halleck.om2002.pdf

Mclynn, F. (2000) Villa And Zapata: A History Of The Mexican Revolution. New York, Ny: Carroll & Graff Publishers.

Meyer, M., Sherman, W., & Deeds, S. (1999). The Course Of Mexican History (6th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Millers, W. (2003). Guerrilla Groups Online. [Article posted on website] Retrieved December 3, 2003, From the World Wide Web: http://nml.ruiac.za/CARR/warwick/terror.htm

Perry, A. (2001). Getting Out The Message. [Article posted on website]. Retrieved November 14, 2003, From the World Wide Web: http://www.time.com/time/interactive/poitics/changing_np.html

Steeves, V. (2003). Human Rights Aspects Of Information Technology. [Article posted on website]. Retrieved December 4, 2003, From the World Wide Web: http://www.stthomasu.ca/~ahrc/conferences/steeves.html

Vigil, E. (1999). The Crusade For Justice: Chicano Militancy And The Governments War On Dissent. Denver: University Of Wisconssion Press.

Zapatits National Liberation Army (EZLN) www.ezln.org