US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA5326

UNCLAS BOGOTA 005326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA 
STATE FOR INL/PC 
 
SENSITIVE/NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, SENV, PREL, CO 
SUBJECT: Update on Eradication in Colombian National Parks 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: In an effort to dispel misinformation 
about the aerial eradication program and illicit coca 
cultivation in national parks, the Colombian National Police 
(CNP) recently hosted two over-flights of affected parks. 
Participants, including key legislators, opinion leaders, 
and the media, gained a clearer appreciation for both the 
extent of illicit coca cultivation in protected areas and 
the potential for aerial eradication to reverse the 
resultant damage.  End Summary. 
 
Background 
------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) On March 30, 2004, Colombian Senator Jorge Robledo 
publicly attacked the joint USG-GOC narcotics eradication 
program, singling out plans to spray within national parks 
as an unacceptable assault on Colombia's patrimony. 
Robledo's charges, which were rife with misinformation, were 
not immediately refuted by GOC leaders.  NGOs opposed to 
spraying in national parks lobbied the Minister of 
Environment, Housing, and Territorial Development who 
subsequently announced that there would be no spraying in 
national parks until manual eradication had been tested as 
an alternative to aerial eradication.  Some Government 
officials also played-down the extent and impact of illicit 
cultivation within the Natural Parks, further undermining 
public support for spraying in parks. 
 
Getting the Facts Out 
------------------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) Working with Embassy PAS, NAS organized and 
supported park inspections for key members of the Colombian 
Congress and other opinion leaders.   The over-flights of 
Tayrona National Park (Magdelena Department) on April 17 and 
Serrana de la Macarena National Park (Meta Department) on 
May 15 were hosted by the CNP. 
 
4. (SBU) When weather prevented flying over an area in a 
national park known to be under coca cultivation, the flight 
went to another part of the park and came across a 
previously unknown 700 hectare coca farm.  Press coverage of 
the events was extensive and universally favorable.  The 
consensus among members of the Colombian congress and 
others, including most of those not previously supportive of 
aerial eradication, was that the incursion of coca 
cultivation into national parks was so extensive that it 
could only be reversed through aerial eradication.  One key 
legislator, Senator Juan Gmez Martnez, announced plans to 
convene a public hearing on June 1 to denounce the GOC's de 
facto abandonment of the parks and to demand that the 
government take the necessary steps to halt further 
encroachment in these and other protected areas. 
 
Wood 
od