US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA2434

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 002434 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, SNAR, PGOV, ASEC, CO, AUC 
SUBJECT: GOC CONTINUING TO CONFRONT PARAMILITARIES 
 
REF: BOGOTA 1680 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood, Reasons: 1.5 B & D. 
 
1.  (C) Summary: In the face of AUC and other paramilitary 
groups' failure to fulfill the unilateral cease-fire pledge 
(reftel), the security forces continue to confront 
paramilitaries throughout the country.  Since the beginning 
of 2003, almost 3,000 paramilitaries have been captured, 
killed, or have deserted.  Law enforcement agencies have 
targeted paramilitary drug trafficking rings and at least 
four mid-level commanders have been arrested in the past two 
months.  Orders to confront the paramilitaries come from the 
highest levels of the Uribe administration, including the 
President himself.  End Summary. 
 
------------------- 
Military Operations 
------------------- 
 
2. (C) The military has aggressively confronted paramilitary 
groups nationwide despite the ongoing peace process with the 
three largest paramilitary groups.  The Security and 
Democracy Foundation, a respected, independent think-tank, 
reports that the number of offensive operations against the 
paramilitaries has more than doubled from 2002 to 2003 and 
the death rate during these confrontations has increased from 
1.2 to 1.5 paramilitary combatants per operation.  Although 
the military conducts more offensive operations against the 
FARC, operations against the paramilitaries have increased at 
a faster rate, 2002-2003. 
 
3. (C) The Colombian military reports that so far in 2004, 
526 arms (long and short), 344 pieces of equipment, and 175 
explosive devices have been seized in operations against 
paramilitaries.  These operations freed eight civilian 
prisoners and prevented one civilian assassination.  108 
paramilitaries have been killed, 426 captured or arrested, 
and 59 have deserted.  Results from 2003 are similar: 1,482 
arms, 1,446 pieces of equipment, and 261 explosive devices 
were seized.  The latter operations resulted in 61 civilian 
prisoners being freed.  328 paramilitaries were killed, 1,717 
captured or arrested, and 242 deserted.  A total of 2,880 
paramilitaries have been removed from the battlefield since 
2003.  (Note: the number of captured paramilitaries is lower 
than the 4,000 or so that the Ministry of Defense reports. 
This discrepancy could be caused by the Ministry's failure to 
subtract detainees released immediately following an 
operation because of a lack of evidence.  End Note). 
 
----------------------- 
Law Enforcement Attacks 
----------------------- 
 
4. (C) The GOC also has employed a variety of law enforcement 
tools against paramilitaries.  For example: 
 
-- In late January 2004, Colombian authorities participated 
in an international operation to dismantle a 
paramilitary-Italian mafia money laundering and drug 
trafficking ring.  Over 110 criminals were arrested in six 
countries, including at least 15 Colombians.  Forty 
additional arrest warrants have been issued in Colombia. 
 
-- On February 2, 23 paramilitaries were arrested in Cali as 
the result of a six-month investigation led by the Department 
of Administrative Security (DAS, roughly FBI equivalent). 
 
-- In September 2003, Colombian authorities began seizing 
over U.S. $3 million worth of assets belonging to AUC 
commander Hernan Giraldo Serna, who is responsible for a 
large percentage of the drug trafficking in the Sierra Nevada 
de Santa Marta region. 
 
-- In January 2003, a judge in Becerril, Cesar Department was 
murdered by paramilitaries.  The Prosecutor General's Office 
(Fiscalia), with U.S. financial and logistical support, 
launched a three-month investigation, which resulted in 37 
arrests related to paramilitary corruption led by AUC 
commander Rodrigo Tovar.  The U.S. has helped fund at least 
25 such investigations against Colombia's illegal armed 
groups since 2002. 
 
5. (C) In the past two months, at least four mid-level 
paramilitary commanders have been captured, including the 
alleged second-in-command of the AUC's Calima Bloc, a Middle 
Magdalena Group commander involved in gasoline theft, and the 
second-in-command of the AUC's Heroes of Gauliva Bloc that 
operates near Bogota. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Commitment From the Highest Levels 
---------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) The Uribe administration is committed to confronting 
the paramilitaries.  In addition to the police operations 
listed above,  President Uribe has ordered GOC military 
efforts against the paramilitaries.  Uribe's current Armed 
Forces Commander and former Army Commander, General Ospina, 
has aggressively carried out the administration's military 
objectives, and the Procuraduria has noted the military's 
high level of cooperation under Ospina.  Army Commander 
General Carreno directed successful operations against 
paramilitary-dominated areas when he was Second Division 
Commander in 2002 and has continued to do so in his current 
position.  Vice President Francisco Santos has publicly 
criticized the paramilitaries for failing to observe the 
cease-fire and underscored that the GOC will not tolerate 
violations.  Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo has 
encouraged the military to combat the paramilitaries despite 
the complications these operations have caused for peace 
negotiations. 
WOOD