Dumar Aljure
Encyclopedia
Dumar Aljure was a Colombia
n guerrilla fighter, bandit, and political figure.
, in Colombia. His father was a shopkeeper from Lebanon. He did not receive very much education, and spent some of his youth as a laborer in Bogotá
. From an early age he was in conflict with the law, being jailed for theft in 1945 before joining the National Army of Colombia in 1950.
This was the time of La Violencia
, however, a conflict between the Colombian Liberal Party
and the Colombian Conservative Party
. Aljure's sympathies lay with the Liberal Party, and he soon deserted the Army, which was affiliated with the Conservatives, in order to join the guerrilla forces fighting for the Liberals. He first joined a group called the Bautista brothers, but due to disagreements with the group leadership he switched to another group, the Fonseca brothers, before finally joining a group led by Guadalupe Salcedo.
Salcedo gave to Aljure command of his group's operations in the San Martín Territory
near the Arriari River, a rural region of Meta Department
, and Aljure took over operations in this region sometime in late 1953 or early 1953. Following a coup by General of the Army Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
in June 1953, much of the violence in Colombia ceased, and Rojas tried to use his army to build stability. In 1954 and 1955, Aljure had carried out guerrilla activities outside the Arriari region, but in 1955, pursued by Rojas' Army, he returned to San Martín.
In 1957, continuing to build up his position as head of the region, he moved to the town of Rincón de Bolívar and began a cattle business. During this period, he was also involved in smuggling industrial and luxury goods, and also forced the farmers of his region to pay him taxes. His considerable economic and political stature eventually allowed him to gain influence over the regular political process as well, and he began to control the election of various municipal and police functionaries. Through these contacts, Aljure was able to obtain information on the activities of the National Police and Army, in order to avoid being apprehended by them. In addition, Aljure was able to influence the disposition of votes in Meta Department
, much of which he now controlled, and he used this power to curry favor with the national political elite of the Liberal Party.
was defeated, and Dussán, in response, publicly indicated that he might cause a Conservative governor to be appointed as governor of Meta Department, which jeopardized Aljure's supremacy in the region.
In addition, in early 1968 Aljure murdered a bartender while in the presence of an Army sergeant, which indicated his contempt for the authority of the military and may have provoked the Army to move against him. The Army spent several months in the beginning of 1968 searching for him, and on April 5, 1968, the Army and Police attacked Aljure's house at Rincón de Bolívar. A lengthy firefight ensued, which left dead Aljure, Aljure's wife, thirteen guerillas.
His cadaver was made available for public display, and was viewed by more than 1,000 people.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n guerrilla fighter, bandit, and political figure.
Early life
In 1928, Dumar Aljure was born in Girardot, CundinamarcaGirardot, Cundinamarca
Girardot is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. It is home to a number of recreational and vacational spots, mainly visited by people from Bogotá, as it is located at less than three hours drive from the city but enjoys a tropical climate .Girardot is the second...
, in Colombia. His father was a shopkeeper from Lebanon. He did not receive very much education, and spent some of his youth as a laborer in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. From an early age he was in conflict with the law, being jailed for theft in 1945 before joining the National Army of Colombia in 1950.
This was the time of La Violencia
La Violencia
La Violencia is a period of civil conflict in the Colombian countryside between supporters of the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombian Conservative Party, a conflict which took place roughly from 1948 to 1958 ....
, however, a conflict between the Colombian Liberal Party
Colombian Liberal Party
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left party in Colombia that adheres to social democracy and social liberalism.The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.After...
and the Colombian Conservative Party
Colombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
. Aljure's sympathies lay with the Liberal Party, and he soon deserted the Army, which was affiliated with the Conservatives, in order to join the guerrilla forces fighting for the Liberals. He first joined a group called the Bautista brothers, but due to disagreements with the group leadership he switched to another group, the Fonseca brothers, before finally joining a group led by Guadalupe Salcedo.
Salcedo gave to Aljure command of his group's operations in the San Martín Territory
San Martín Territory
San Martín Territory was one of the territories of the United States of Colombia.In the South it bordered Caquetá Territory.- Timeline :* 1832 part of Bogotá Province as San Martín Territory.* 1844 part of Cundinamarca State as San Martín Territory....
near the Arriari River, a rural region of Meta Department
Meta Department
Meta is a department of Colombia. It is close to the geographic center of the country, to the east of the Andean mountains. A large portion of the department, which is also crossed by the Meta River, is covered by a grassland plain known as the Llanos. Its capital is Villavicencio...
, and Aljure took over operations in this region sometime in late 1953 or early 1953. Following a coup by General of the Army Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
in June 1953, much of the violence in Colombia ceased, and Rojas tried to use his army to build stability. In 1954 and 1955, Aljure had carried out guerrilla activities outside the Arriari region, but in 1955, pursued by Rojas' Army, he returned to San Martín.
Political activities
Rojas, content for Aljure and some other guerrillas to stay in isolated Arriari region, eventually left Aljure alone. Around this time, Aljure set himself up as the political head of the region, creating a shadow government quite independent from the central government, and began to rule over it. In effect, he became the dictator of his own autonomous republic, and he won the allegiance of the populace by using his guerrilla band, by now a small army, to protect them from abuse by the National Police and Army.In 1957, continuing to build up his position as head of the region, he moved to the town of Rincón de Bolívar and began a cattle business. During this period, he was also involved in smuggling industrial and luxury goods, and also forced the farmers of his region to pay him taxes. His considerable economic and political stature eventually allowed him to gain influence over the regular political process as well, and he began to control the election of various municipal and police functionaries. Through these contacts, Aljure was able to obtain information on the activities of the National Police and Army, in order to avoid being apprehended by them. In addition, Aljure was able to influence the disposition of votes in Meta Department
Meta Department
Meta is a department of Colombia. It is close to the geographic center of the country, to the east of the Andean mountains. A large portion of the department, which is also crossed by the Meta River, is covered by a grassland plain known as the Llanos. Its capital is Villavicencio...
, much of which he now controlled, and he used this power to curry favor with the national political elite of the Liberal Party.
Death
After the congressional elections of 1968, Aljure's situation began to change. In that election, a selection of candidates supported by Senator Hernando Durán DussánHernando Durán Dussán
Hernando Durán Dussán was a Colombian lawyer and politician. He was the Mayor of Bogotá and a candidate for the Presidency in 1990.-Biography:Durán Dussán was born in Bogotá in 1920, of Huilan ancestry...
was defeated, and Dussán, in response, publicly indicated that he might cause a Conservative governor to be appointed as governor of Meta Department, which jeopardized Aljure's supremacy in the region.
In addition, in early 1968 Aljure murdered a bartender while in the presence of an Army sergeant, which indicated his contempt for the authority of the military and may have provoked the Army to move against him. The Army spent several months in the beginning of 1968 searching for him, and on April 5, 1968, the Army and Police attacked Aljure's house at Rincón de Bolívar. A lengthy firefight ensued, which left dead Aljure, Aljure's wife, thirteen guerillas.
His cadaver was made available for public display, and was viewed by more than 1,000 people.