Gérard Chaliand
Encyclopedia
Gérard Chaliand is a French-Armenian expert in armed-conflict studies and in international and strategic relations, especially asymmetric conflicts (e.g., guerrillas, terrorism
). He is one of the most prolific international theoricians on these subjects. Gérard Chaliand is also a writer and a poet (La marche têtue suivie de Feu nomade, 1996).
(INALCO, Paris) and earning his PhD in third-cycle (Paris V – Sorbonne
), Gérard Chaliand committed himself with anti-colonialist guerrillas (like Portuguese Guinée-Bissau with Amilcar Cabral
) sometimes as an observer, sometimes as a fighter. For approximatively 40 years, he has led research in more than 60 countries in Africa
, the Middle East
, South-East Asia, Latin America
, Eastern Europe
, and the Commonwealth of Independent States
(Central Asia). From 1964 to 2000, he completed more than 12 terrain-researches as a war observer in countries like Vietnam
, Afghanistan
, Iraq
, Nagorno-Karabakh
, Sri Lanka
(with the Tamil Tigers
, whom he called one of the most efficient and ruthless guerrilla organizations), Chechnia, Peru
, Chiapas
, and Kurdistan. He has developed theories and systems which explain the workings of asymmetric conflicts.
"No way, you can't crush the Tigers," Chaliand told Reuters in a 2007 interview on the sidelines of a counter-terrorism conference in Colombo at which he was a keynote speaker. "Technically speaking they are the most efficient movement at present in the world." "Before them I've seen two others which were outstanding. The Vietnamese, and the EPLF from Eritrea -- they won. (The Tigers) are the third one," he added. "You don't crush those guys with the Sri Lankan army, which by the way is not the best in the world."
He made those statements during a government-rebel cease-fire agreement, after two decades of civil war. Late that year, the Sri Lankan government resumed the war and changed tactics. Tamil Tigers were conclusively defeated by Sri Lankan Armed Forces on May 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Civil_War
He was criticized by Sri Lankan Defense Secretary for making comments without true knowledge of ground situation in Sri Lanka
institutions, and only works freelance. He has been a lecturer (maître de conférence) at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) (1980–1989), professor at the Ecole Supérieure de Guerre, and director of the Centre Européen d’Etude des Conflits (1997–2000). Chaliand has been a consultant for the Centre d’Analyse et de Prévision of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs since 1984. Since 1970, he has been a visiting professor in several countries, including the United States, Japan
, Canada
, China
, Singapore
and Colombia
.
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
). He is one of the most prolific international theoricians on these subjects. Gérard Chaliand is also a writer and a poet (La marche têtue suivie de Feu nomade, 1996).
Experience
After graduating from the National Institute of Oriental Civilisations and LanguagesInstitut national des langues et civilisations orientales
The Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales is located in Paris, France. It was founded in 1795 after the French Revolution and is now one of the country's Grands établissements with a specialization in African, Asian, East European, Oceanian languages and civilisations...
(INALCO, Paris) and earning his PhD in third-cycle (Paris V – Sorbonne
University of Paris V: René Descartes
Paris Descartes University, is one of the main Paris universities, with a strong focus on:* Medical Sciences...
), Gérard Chaliand committed himself with anti-colonialist guerrillas (like Portuguese Guinée-Bissau with Amilcar Cabral
Amílcar Cabral
Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral was a Guinea-Bissauan and Cape Verdean agricultural engineer, writer, and a nationalist thinker and politician. Also known by his nom de guerre Abel Djassi, Cabral led the nationalist movement of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde Islands and the ensuing war of independence...
) sometimes as an observer, sometimes as a fighter. For approximatively 40 years, he has led research in more than 60 countries in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, South-East Asia, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, and the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
(Central Asia). From 1964 to 2000, he completed more than 12 terrain-researches as a war observer in countries like Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(with the Tamil Tigers
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
, whom he called one of the most efficient and ruthless guerrilla organizations), Chechnia, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, and Kurdistan. He has developed theories and systems which explain the workings of asymmetric conflicts.
"No way, you can't crush the Tigers," Chaliand told Reuters in a 2007 interview on the sidelines of a counter-terrorism conference in Colombo at which he was a keynote speaker. "Technically speaking they are the most efficient movement at present in the world." "Before them I've seen two others which were outstanding. The Vietnamese, and the EPLF from Eritrea -- they won. (The Tigers) are the third one," he added. "You don't crush those guys with the Sri Lankan army, which by the way is not the best in the world."
He made those statements during a government-rebel cease-fire agreement, after two decades of civil war. Late that year, the Sri Lankan government resumed the war and changed tactics. Tamil Tigers were conclusively defeated by Sri Lankan Armed Forces on May 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Civil_War
He was criticized by Sri Lankan Defense Secretary for making comments without true knowledge of ground situation in Sri Lanka
Professional achievements
Gérard Chaliand is not a member of any academic or think tankThink tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
institutions, and only works freelance. He has been a lecturer (maître de conférence) at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) (1980–1989), professor at the Ecole Supérieure de Guerre, and director of the Centre Européen d’Etude des Conflits (1997–2000). Chaliand has been a consultant for the Centre d’Analyse et de Prévision of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs since 1984. Since 1970, he has been a visiting professor in several countries, including the United States, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Colombia
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...
.
Selected bibliography
- The Art of War in World History. Univ. of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-07964-9 (http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/6044.html)
- Guerrilla Strategies: An Historical Anthology from the Long March to Afghanistan (California, 1982 http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/1625.html)
- The Penguin Atlas of Diasporas. New York: Viking Books, 1995. xxi + 183 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliographical references. ISBN 0-670-85439-5
- Atlas du millénaire, avec J-P. Rageau, Paris, éd. Hachette, 1998
- 2000 ans de chrétienté, Paris, éd. Odile Jacob, 2000 (avec Sophie Mousset).
- Puissances et influences. Annuaire géopolitique et géostratégique 2000 - 2001, co-edited with A. Blin et F. Géré, Paris, ed. Mille et une nuits, 2000.
- Guerres et civilisations. De l'Assyrie à l'époque contemporaine, Odile Jacob, 2005.
- Histoire du terrorisme : de l'Antiquité à Al-Qaïda, Bayard, 2004.
- Atlas du nouvel ordre mondial, Robert Laffont, 2003.
- Mythes révolutionnaires du Tiers-monde, Seuil, 1979.
- Anthologie mondiale de la stratégie, Robert Laffont, 1996.
- Voyages dans 40 ans de guérillas, 2006. ISBN 2-915752-13-3 (extracts)
- Le Génocide des Arméniens (avec Yves Ternon), Complexe, 1981, 1991, 2002.
- Slovik le déserteur in L'Algérie pour théâtre, L'Aube, 2003. (Theater)
- La marche têtue and Feu nomade, L'Aube, 1996. (Poetry)
- Poésie populaire des turcs et des kurdes.
- Ernesto Che Guevara. La Guerre de guérilla et autres textes militaires (with Juliette Minces), La Découverte, 1961, 2002.
External links
- New York Review of Books
- Gérard Chaliand : « En Irak, l'insurrection armée montre sa terrible efficacité face à la meilleure armée du monde », April 2006 interview concerning the Iraqi insurgencyIraqi insurgencyThe Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
- Gérard Chaliand : Terrorismes et contre-terrorismes ; de la Palestine à l'Irak, June 25, 2003 conference of L'Université de tous les savoirs, published in Le MondeLe MondeLe Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
(audio files available) - Groupes mafieux et globalisation du crime (video), conference of the Université de tous les savoirs
- Gérard Chaliand : «Les troupes américaines devront rester en Irak», June 9, 2006 interview in Le FigaroLe FigaroLe Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
- Le destin shakespearien de Saddam Hussein, dictateur sanguinaire et ambigu, par Gérard Chaliand, op-ed in Le FigaroLe FigaroLe Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
, January 1, 2007 - Report before the French Senate, March 22, 2002
- Belgian parliamentary study day on terrorism
- Third World Definition