Intimate Enemies: Violence and Reconciliation in Peru (Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights)

In the aftermath of a civil war, former enemies are left living side by side--and often the enemy is a son-in-law, a godfather, an old schoolmate, or the community that lies just across the valley. Though the internal conflict in Peru at the end of the twentieth century was incited and organized by insurgent Senderistas, the violence and destruction were carried out not only by Peruvian armed forces but also by civilians. In the wake of war, any given Peruvian community may consist of ex-Senderistas, current sympathizers, widows, orphans, army veterans--a volatile social landscape. These survivors, though fully aware of the potential danger posed by their neighbors, must nonetheless endeavor to live and labor alongside their intimate enemies. Drawing on years of research with communities in the highlands of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon explores how Peruvians are rebuilding both individual lives and collective existence following twenty years of armed conflict. Intimate Enemies recounts the stories and dialogues of Peruvian peasants and Theidon's own experiences to encompass the broad and varied range of conciliatory practices: customary law before and after the war, the practice of arrepentimiento (publicly confessing one's actions and requesting pardon from one's peers), a differentiation between forgiveness and reconciliation, and the importance of storytelling to make sense of the past and recreate moral order. The micropolitics of reconciliation in these communities present an example of postwar coexistence that deeply complicates the way we understand transitional justice, moral sensibilities, and social life in the aftermath of war. Any effort to understand postconflict reconstruction must be attuned to devastation as well as to human tenacity for life. "Received Honorable Mention for the 2013 Book Award for Human Rights in Latin America from the Washington Office on Latin America-Duke University Libraries Received Honorable Mention for the 2013 Eileen Basker Prize from the Society for Medical Anthropology" In the aftermath of a civil war, former enemies are left living side by sideand often the enemy is a son-in-law, a godfather, an old schoolmate, or the community that lies just across the valley. Though the internal conflict in Peru at the end of the twentieth century was incited and organized by insurgent Senderistas, the violence and destruction were carried out not only by Peruvian armed forces but also by civilians. In the wake of war, any given Peruvian community may consist of ex-Senderistas, current sympathizers, widows, orphans, army veteransa volatile social landscape. These survivors, though fully aware of the potential danger posed by their neighbors, must nonetheless endeavor to live and labor alongside their intimate enemies. Drawing on years of research with communities in the highlands of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon explores how Peruvians are rebuilding both individual lives and collective existence following twenty years of armed conflict. Intimate Enemies recounts the stories and dialogues of Peruvian peasants and Theidon's own experiences to encompass the broad and varied range of conciliatory customary law before and after the war, the practice of arrepentimiento (publicly confessing one's actions and requesting pardon from one's peers), a differentiation between forgiveness and reconciliation, and the importance of storytelling to make sense of the past and recreate moral order. The micropolitics of reconciliation in these communities present an example of postwar coexistence that deeply complicates the way we understand transitional justice, moral sensibilities, and social life in the aftermath of war. Any effort to understand postconflict reconstruction must be attuned to devastation as well as to human tenacity for life.

In the aftermath of a civil war, former enemies are left living side by side—and often the enemy is a son-in-law, a godfather, an old schoolmate, or the community that lies just across the valley. Though the internal conflict in Peru at the end of the twentieth century was incited and organized by insurgent Senderistas, the violence and destruction were carried out not only by Peruvian armed forces but also by civilians. In the wake of war, any given Peruvian community may consist of ex-Senderistas, current sympathizers, widows, orphans, army veterans—a volatile social landscape. These survivors, though fully aware of the potential danger posed by their neighbors, must nonetheless endeavor to live and labor alongside their intimate enemies.

Drawing on years of research with communities in the highlands of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon explores how Peruvians are rebuilding both individual lives and collective existence following twenty years of armed conflict. Intimate Enemies recounts the stories and dialogues of Peruvian peasants and Theidon's own experiences to encompass the broad and varied range of conciliatory practices: customary law before and after the war, the practice of arrepentimiento (publicly confessing one's actions and requesting pardon from one's peers), a differentiation between forgiveness and reconciliation, and the importance of storytelling to make sense of the past and recreate moral order. The micropolitics of reconciliation in these communities present an example of postwar coexistence that deeply complicates the way we understand transitional justice, moral sensibilities, and social life in the aftermath of war. Any effort to understand postconflict reconstruction must be attuned to devastation as well as to human tenacity for life.

In The Aftermath Of A Civil War, Former Enemies Are Left Living Side By Side - And Often The Enemy Is A Son-in-law, A Godfather, An Old Schoolmate, Or The Community That Lies Just Across The Valley. Though The Internal Conflict In Peru At The End Of The Twentieth Century Was Incited And Organized By Insurgent Senderistas, The Violence And Destruction Were Carried Out Not Only By Peruvian Armed Forces But Also By Civilians. In The Wake Of War, Any Given Peruvian Community May Consist Of Ex-senderistas, Current Sympathizers, Widows, Orphans, Army Veterans - A Volatile Social Landscape. These Survivors, Though Fully Aware Of The Potential Danger Posed By Their Neighbors, Must Nonetheless Endeavor To Live And Labor Alongside Their Intimate Enemies. Drawing On Years Of Research With Communities In The Highlands Of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon Explores How Peruvians Are Rebuilding Both Individual Lives And Collective Existence Following Twenty Years Of Armed Conflict--jacket. Ayacucho Is The Cradle -- Sensuous Psychologies -- Being Human -- Fluid Fundamentalisms -- Speaking Of Silences -- The Widows -- Intimate Enemies -- The Micropolitics Of Reconciliation -- Deliverance -- Legacies : Bad Luck, Angry Gods, And The Stranger -- Living With Those People -- Facing Up To The Past. Kimberly Theidon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [427]-445) And Index. "In the aftermath of a civil war, former enemies are left living side by side - and often the enemy is a son-in-law, a godfather, an old schoolmate, or the community that lies just across the valley. Though the internal conflict in Peru at the end of the twentieth century was incited and organized by insurgent Senderistas, the violence and destruction were carried out not only by Peruvian armed forces but also by civilians. In the wake of war, any given Peruvian community may consist of ex-Senderistas, current sympathizers, widows, orphans, army veterans - a volatile social landscape. These survivors, though fully aware of the potential danger posed by their neighbors, must nonetheless endeavor to live and labor alongside their intimate enemies. Drawing on years of research with communities in the highlands of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon explores how Peruvians are rebuilding both individual lives and collective existence following twenty years of armed conflict"--Back cover Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 Preface: Ayacucho, 1997 10 Part I: The Difficult Time 18 1: "Ayacucho is the Cradle" 20 2: Sensuous Psychologies 41 3: Being Human 71 4: Fluid Fundamentalisms 84 Part II: Common Sense, Gender, and War 118 5: Speaking of Silences 120 6: The Widows 160 Part III: Looking North 200 7: Intimate Enemies 202 8: The Micropolitics of Reconciliation 242 9: Deliverance 269 10: Legacies: Bad Luck, Angry Gods, and the Stranger 294 Part IV: Looking South 336 11: Living with "Those People" 338 12: Facing Up to the Past 378 Afterword 410 Notes 412 Glossary 442 Selected Bibliography 444 Index 464 Acknowledgments 476 Drawing on years of research in the highlands of Ayacucho, Kimberly Theidon explores how Peruvians are rebuilding individual lives and collective existence following twenty years of armed conflict. The micropolitics of reconciliation practiced there complicates the way we understand transitional justice and coexistence in the aftermath of war.