Change in counter-subversive strategy in Alto Huallaga

In 1991, the armed forces implemented a significant change in their counter-subversive strategy that improved their image in the emergency zones of the Alto Huallaga. This change reversed the negative image that the population had of the way the armed forces acted. Military actions in the villages on the right bank of the Huallaga changed radically: there were no longer surprise military operations or forcing people to attend meetings to inform on Shining Path commanders. Instead, emphasis was placed on better treatment of the civilian population and effective intelligence work to detect subversive commanders. The new strategy included civic actions, the establishment of Development Committees instead of CAD's, and the search for support from the population.