US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA12409

UNCLAS BOGOTA 012409 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PHUM, PINR, PREL, KJUS, CO, OAS, AUC 
SUBJECT: AUC DEMOBILIZATION ON A SHOESTRING 
 
REF: BOGOTA 12188 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) The GOC has begun demobilization of the 3,000-4,000 
United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) by the end of 
2004.  According to OAS mission chief Sergio Caramagna and 
staff, they are being forced to improvise and go without key 
supplies, including tables, phones, and bathrooms.  End 
summary. 
 
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Scrambling to Keep Up the Pace 
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2. (U) On December 1, OAS mission chief Caramagna and his 
deputy described the demobilization of the Bananero Bloc in 
Turbo on November 25 (reftel). 
 
3. (U)  The reinsertion center did not have tables, enough 
computers, or even a working bathroom on the morning of the 
29th when 40 former paramilitaries reported at 8:00 a.m. as 
scheduled.  OAS and GOC personnel were forced to borrow 
plastic tables from the neighborhood and make do with the few 
computers they had available.  They managed to open the 
center on time, and as of December 1, had successfully 
processed 220 former paramilitaries.  Each has been 
interviewed by the Prosecutor General's Office ("Fiscalia") 
and Department of Administrative Security (DAS, rough FBI 
equivalent), issued a special identification card from the 
Registrar's Office, had dental identification records taken, 
enrolled in reinsertion programs, and met with the OAS.  In 
order to issue provisional reinsertion identification cards 
to all 452 Bananero Bloc paramilitaries, one official from 
the Peace Commissioner's Office slept only two hours a night 
for three days until the cards were complete.  He had no 
assistance and was forced to borrow a closet in the back of a 
local pharmacy in Turbo for his office space and use slow, 
antiquated printers.  Caramanga expressed doubt if the GOC 
could manage to issue 1,500 when the Catatumbo Bloc 
demobilizes later this month. 
 
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Insufficient Funding 
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4. (U) Through USAID, the U.S. has given the OAS mission 
approximately USD 850,000.  This funding will run out in 
January.  Other donors are: 
 
- Sweden: technical assistance, including an in-country 
adviser and several vehicles. 
 
- Bahamas: USD 5,000 
 
- Holland: has agreed to donate 800,000 Euros which should be 
available soon. 
 
5. (U) These limited resources do not cover the mission's 
needs.  For example, the mission has only four satellite 
phones (cellular phones do not work in most of the areas 
where the demobilizations occur).  The GOC has four 
reinsertion centers and plans to open eight more by the end 
of the year.  All of these centers will have to be staffed 
with at least two OAS officials each, in addition to the six 
offices the OAS already has nationwide.  Caramagna has been 
reaching out to the diplomatic corps in Bogota, and will 
travel to Washington on December 8 to plead for more 
resources from OAS member countries. 
 
6. (U) The Peace Commissioner's Office has similarly tight 
resources.  Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo has told 
us that his budget will cover the demobilization of 3,000 
paramilitaries in 2004 but funding for 2005 is unclear.  The 
GOC estimates it faces a deficit of about USD 130 million to 
demobilize the entire AUC, not including OAS verification and 
some parts of the government reinsertion program. 
WOOD