US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA13216

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 013216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PHUM, CO, OAS, AUC 
SUBJECT: YEAR END RESULTS OF AUC PEACE PROCESS 
 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) In 2003 and 2004, the GOC demobilized over 3,600 
paramilitaries from the AUC.  They turned in well over 1,000 
weapons and other supplies, which were inventoried by the OAS 
verification mission.  2005 will be the most challenging year 
for the peace process; the GOC is commited to demobilizing 
the rest of the AUC, facilitating its successful 
participation in the government's reinsertion program, and 
establishing a legal framework for those who are guilty of 
serious crimes.  End summary. 
 
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Almost 3,000 Demobilized in 2004 
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2. (U) In 2004, the GOC demobilized 2,627 members of the 
United Self Defense Forces (AUC), including five separate 
blocs and senior commander Salvatore Mancuso and bloc 
commander Ever Veloza Garcia (alias Hernan Hernandez).  The 
OAS verification mission oversaw and inventoried the weapons 
turned in to the GOC: 
 
- November 25: 452 paramilitaries from the Bananero Bloc 
turned in 245 rifles, 2 machine guns, 6 grenade launchers, 4 
mortars, 4 semi-automatic machine guns, 2 carbines, 6 shot 
guns, 38 pistols, 44 revolvers, 232 grenades, 1 flare gun, 
41,016 bullets, 482 camouflage shirts, 439 camouflage pants, 
147 travel supplies, 262 weapons carriers, 61 radios, 2 base 
radios, and miscellaneous accessories. 
 
- December 4: 47 paramilitaries from southern Magdalena 
Department turned in 26 rifles, 3 semi-automatic machine 
guns, 1 machine gun, 1 hand-made mortar, 6 pistols, 3 
revolvers, 1 shot gun, and numerous rounds of ammunition, 
grenades, and radios. 
 
- December 9: 147 paramilitaries in Cundinamarca Department 
turned in 104 rifles, 3 machine guns, 3 grenade launchers, 4 
shot guns, 2 carbines, 18 pistols, 6 mortars, ammunition, 
miscellaneous, radios, and explosives 
 
- December 10: 1,425 paramilitaries from the Catatumbo Bloc 
turned in 983 rifles and shotguns, 10 machine guns, 19 
semi-automatic machine guns, 25 grenade launchers, 21 
mortars, 47 pistols, and 15 revolvers, 556 hand grenades, 201 
mortar grenades, 183 rifle grenades, 3 smoke grenades, 268 
MGL grenades, numerous radios, and explosives 
 
- December 18: 556 paramilitaries from the Calima Bloc turned 
in 316 long arms, 62 short arms, 15 semi-automatic machine 
guns, 14 pistols, 33 revolvers, 27 support weapons, 1,008 
miscellaneous supplies, 2,500 chains, 83 hand grenades, 51 
40mm grenades, 10 mortars, 2 rifle grenades, 51 radios, 
uniforms, and travel supplies. 
 
Total demobilized: 2,627 
 
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2003: 1,000 Demobilized 
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3. (U) The GOC held two small demobilizations in 2003.  The 
first, on November 25, involved 874 members of the AUC's 
Cacique Nutibara Bloc in Medellin.  Of the entire block, 17 
have died, 34 are serving time in jail mostly for 
non-pardonable crimes commited before demobilization, and the 
government has lost track of four.  The remaining 819 are 
participating in the GOC's reinsertion program and being 
tracked by the electronic monitoring and evaluation system. 
Second, on December 7, 150 paramilitaries of the independent 
Self Defense Forces of Ortega in Cauca Department 
demobilized.  They are not participating in the reinsertion 
program, but instead the GOC is building roads in the region 
and providing vocational training.  These demobilizations 
occured before the OAS agreed to verify the process.  For 
this reason, an inventory of weapons turned in is not 
available. 
 
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2005: A Bigger Challenge 
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4. (U) The AUC agreed to demobilize its entire structure by 
the end of 2005.  The GOC has three important, costly tasks 
to complete in 2005: 
 
1. Demobilize the rest of the AUC: the AUC claims to have 
20,000 members, and the GOC has based its budget needs on 
this figure, which leaves approximately 16,000 paramilitaries 
to be demobilized.  Post estimates the AUC had between 12,000 
and 15,000 before the demobilizations began, but paramilitary 
family members and support networks will increase the number 
to demobilize. 
 
2. Reinsertion: paramilitaries who demobilize and are not 
guilty of serious crimes join the GOC's reinsertion program, 
which offers job training, basic humanitarian assistance, and 
employment.  The GOC is responsible for successfully moving 
them through the program and turning them into productive 
citizens.  Otherwise, former paramilitaries are likely to 
return to a criminal lifestyle. 
 
3. Legal framework: the GOC needs to establish a legal 
framework to hold accountable former paramilitaries guilty of 
major crimes.  It is considering calling an extraordinary 
congressional session in February to debate the Law of 
Justice and Reparations, which calls for -- among other 
things -- mandatory jail time, confession, reparations to 
victims, and cooperation with authorities. 
WOOD