Into the Jungle

“Nijmeijer’s book is bathed in the resplendent hope of building a better world” Vijay Prashad, Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

“Gives a unique insight into what motivated a young Dutch woman to be part of an armed insurgent organization” Moritz Tenthoff, Pacto EcoSocial e Intercultural del Sur

They called her a terrorist, a traitor, a radical. Tanja Nijmeijer finally tells her side of the story.

At just 24 years old, Tanja Nijmeijer left the Netherlands to join the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a decision that stunned the world. Ever since, her story has been rewritten by others—journalists, critics, and pundits eager to pass judgment.

In this powerful memoir, Nijmeijer tells her story for the first time in her own words. From a quiet Dutch town to a decade fighting inside one of the world’s most controversial and enduring guerrilla armies, Into the Jungle offers an unsparing look at the human side of armed conflict, and what it means to be a woman revolutionary. Drawing on her experience on the frontlines and later as a negotiator at the landmark peace talks in Havana, Nijmeijer provides an intimate glimpse into a war that has defined Colombia’s history, the aftershocks of which are still felt today.

After ten years of fighting in the FARC, Tanja Nijmeijer joined peace negotiations in Cuba, which culminated in a peace settlement. Later, she established De Mano en Mano, a cooperative run by ex-fighters, creating a “House of Peace” in central Cali, Colombia. Today, she lives on the outskirts of Cali with her husband, also an ex-fighter, an adopted son, their dogs, cats and chickens.