US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA8898

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 008898 
 
SIPDIS 
 
GENEVA FOR JEFF DELAURENTIS 
DRL FOR DANIKA WALTERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, MOPS, PHUM, CO 
SUBJECT: MOD DEFENDS COLOMBIAN DEMOBILIZATION AND 
REINSERTION STRATEGY 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Milton K. Drucker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) Foreign Minister Carolina Barco and Minister of 
Defense Jorge Uribe briefed foreign diplomats on individual 
demobilization, hometown soldiers, and the informants 
network.  The event was a review of accomplishments that 
highlighted the GOC's successes and downplayed its 
challenges.  Minister Uribe brought three former members of 
the FARC to discuss their experiences in the demobilization 
and reinsertion process.  Although the presentation offered 
little new information, several audience members seemed to be 
hearing the information for the first time.  All speakers 
thanked the international community for ongoing support.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Individual Demobilization on the Rise 
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2. (U) On August 25, Foreign Minister Carolina Barco and 
Minister of Defense (MOD) Jorge Alberto Uribe addressed 
roughly sixty members of the diplomatic corps to outline 
progress on the government's individual demobilization 
program, informants network, and hometown soldiers ("soldados 
de mi pueblo") initiative.  President Uribe had asked the MOD 
to brief diplomatic officials to increase their understanding 
of the programs and foster further international cooperation. 
 The presentation lasted roughly two and a half hours. 
 
3. (U) Vice Minister of Defense Andres Penate discussed 
statistics on individual demobilization.  In the first two 
years of the Uribe Administration, 5,114 individuals had 
voluntarily demobilized and entered the reinsertion program. 
Penate said although individual demobilization began under 
the Pastrana Administration, participation had been much 
lower before 2003.  Under Uribe, the program has averaged 
over 300 demobilizations per month, due in large part to the 
GOC's public announcements, commercials, and other appeals to 
illegal armed groups' rank and file members. 
 
4. (SBU) Of the 5,114 persons who have applied for 
demobilization assistance, the GOC has denied benefits to 350 
because it found that either (1) they were not real members 
of an illegal armed group or (2) they were real members who 
had committed human rights violations.   Such information is 
usually uncovered during the interrogation phase of 
demobilization.  Penate stressed that information gathered 
during initial interrogations has proven useful for 
understanding groups' psychology and leaders' whereabouts. 
He said there had only been six cases of alleged abuse during 
processing.  Eighty percent of demobilizing fighters 
surrender to the Colombian Army in the area of operations and 
twenty percent are minors (under eighteen). 
 
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Reincorporation Has First Graduates 
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5. (U) Juan David Angel, Director of the GOC's 
Reincorporation Program, highlighted the program's successes 
and noted that its first "graduates" were just beginning to 
leave the two-year program.  He added the GOC was grappling 
with interagency coordination issues, public resistance to 
the newly reincorporated citizens, and a lack of private 
sector engagement in the program.  His office brought three 
demobilized FARC fighters to address the audience at the 
meeting's conclusion. 
 
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Hometown Soldiers and Informants Programs Expand 
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6. (U) Brigadier General Lesmez praised the "hometown" 
soldiers program and showed a brief promotional video.  He 
noted that hometown soldiers are regular soldiers who receive 
the same training, equipment, and salaries as other soldiers, 
but serve in their own hometowns.  The GOC hopes to have 
almost 23,000 hometown soldiers deployed by the end of 2004 
and almost 30,000 by the end of 2005.  Lesmez said the 
program helps bring law and order back to the rural areas. 
 
7. (SBU) Police General Alberto Ruiz Garcia spoke about the 
national informants network and the program's successes over 
the last year.  He distinguished between community watch 
volunteers and informants by noting that informants are paid 
for their information.  Both groups receive training and 
radios to report any suspicious activity or crimes.  The GOC 
claims almost four million volunteers and paid informants who 
report to the police, army and navy.  Almost two thirds are 
unpaid volunteers.  There are roughly three million in the 
cities, 53,000 in rural areas, and 7,000 protecting major 
roadways.  Minister Uribe said the GOC hopes to have five 
million participants by 2006. 
 
8. (SBU) MOD Uribe closed by thanking the international 
community for its cooperation.  He encouraged audience 
members to question the former FARC members about their 
experience in the program and reasons for leaving the FARC. 
Juan David Angel told Emboffs that the British Ambassador 
wholeheartedly supported the presence of the three and 
suggested that the GOC hold future events with ex-fighters. 
He also promised to hold another meeting to discuss mass 
demobilization issues and other related programs. 
DRUCKER