The leaders of Sendero Luminoso are primarily mestizos and blancos while most of its members are mestizos and indigenas. How could Sendero fight for indigenous campesions when no one in charge had lived the life of an indigenous campesino and, therefore, couldn't possibly know what was most important to them?
Sendero was smart enough to see that the indigenous population of Peru was an untapped political resource. They used indigenous traditions to gain trust but ended up being far more concerned with their own ideals than those of the people.
On the other hand, countless years of mistreatment, oppression and abuse from the Peruvian government toward the indigenous peoples is what initiated the need for a movement of the people. In addition to rapes, tortures, removal from land and general mistreatment, the Peruvian government also created rondas, groups of indigenous people that fought against their own people. The government also forced many indians to join the Peruvian army.
The
Peruvian government has always had the major advantage because of interntional
support. This is a picture of U.S. soldiers at a camp in the Peruvian
highlands. Because of the natural resources in Peru, the U.S. had
investments they needed protect and they did what they had to do protect
their interests.