US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA11421

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 011421 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KIRF, KJUS, PTER, PINR, CO 
SUBJECT: FOLLOW-UP MEETING WITH FATHER JOAKIN MAYORGA 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 8406 
 
     B. BOGOTA 8687 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Milton K. Drucker for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: On November 3, Father Joakin Mayorga visited 
the Embassy to discuss the status of an investigation by the 
Office of the Prosecutor General ("Fiscalia") into 
accusations made by two Army officers that he had committed 
criminal misrepresentation.  In February, Mayorga alleged -- 
on behalf of residents of a peasant community in Bolivar 
Department -- that soldiers from the Antonio Narino Marine 
Infantry Battalion had killed three community residents and 
played a role in the disappearance of a thirteen-year-old boy 
in January.  Mayorga told us Fiscalia prosecutors have 
conducted themselves professionally and will decide whether 
to press formal charges by the end of the year.  Mayorga has 
been told his case is being followed closely by high-ranking 
officials in the Fiscalia and the Office of the Inspector 
General ("Procuraduria").  Mayorga expressed satisfaction 
with the Fiscalia's progress in investigating the alleged 
murders and forced disappearance.  Church officials have 
reassigned Mayorga from Bolivar Department to Bogota for 
security reasons.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On November 3, an Embassy official met with Father 
Joakin Mayorga, former director of the Roman Catholic 
Church's Social Ministry ("Pastoral Social") in the Diocese 
of Magangue, Bolivar Department.  Mayorga has been the 
subject of a Fiscalia investigation after two Army officers, 
including the commander of the Antonio Narino Marine Infantry 
Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Luis Fernando Rojas, accused 
him of criminal misrepresentation (ref A).  In February, 
residents of the community of Canonico, Bolivar Department, 
asked Mayorga to present to the Fiscalia their allegations 
that soldiers from the battalion had killed three peasants 
and played a role in the disappearance of a thirteen-year-old 
boy in January.  To date, the Fiscalia has not pressed 
charges against Mayorga. 
 
3. (SBU) Mayorga first met with Fiscalia investigators on 
August 26 to answer questions related to the officers' 
accusations.  (The meeting had originally been scheduled for 
late June, but was postponed when Mayorga informed 
investigators of a schedule conflict.)  Mayorga was invited 
to a second meeting with investigators on September 17 to 
discuss the possibility of reaching a settlement with the 
military officers.  Although legally required to attend, 
neither officer was present for the meeting.  Fiscalia 
investigators suggested Mayorga issue a retraction in order 
to put the matter to rest.  He refused, citing his 
responsibility to members of the community of Canonico and 
his interest in seeing the perpetrators of the alleged 
murders and disappearance brought to justice.  Mayorga said 
he told Fiscalia investigators he was not personally accusing 
the military of any wrongdoing.  On October 18, Fiscalia 
investigators interviewed several community residents, 
including family members of the murder victims.  The case 
against Mayorga remains under investigation.  Prosecutors are 
expected to decide before the end of the year whether to 
charge Mayorga with criminal misrepresentation or close the 
investigation. 
 
4. (C) Mayorga said Fiscalia investigators conducted 
themselves in a respectful, professional manner and told him 
the case was being followed closely by Prosecutor General 
Osorio and high-ranking officials within the Procuraduria. 
Fiscalia investigators told Mayorga that both offices had 
expressed a special interest in resolving the case quickly 
and transparently.  (When Ambassador raised Mayorga's case 
with Vice-President Santos in August, Santos promised to look 
into the matter (ref B).)  Mayorga told us the Fiscalia's 
Human Rights Unit had launched an independent investigation 
into the alleged murders and forced disappearance and had 
already interviewed most of the victims' family members. 
Mayorga was pleased the case was progressing quickly.  He 
also said the Procuraduria is conducting a disciplinary 
investigation to determine whether soldiers from the 
battalion were involved in the January incident.  Mayorga 
confided his suspicion that certain elements within the 
battalion actively cooperate with paramilitaries. 
 
5. (C) Mayorga said he had been reassigned to Bogota on 
October 1 after other priests and a bishop in the region 
began to receive threats from paramilitaries, who told the 
priests that they would be held responsible if Mayorga 
continued his "subversive work" in Bolivar Department. 
Mayorga, who has himself received similar threats over the 
past two years, said he protested the decision and feels he 
has abandoned the isolated communities in which he had worked. 
DRUCKER