US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA1071

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 001071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PHUM, KJUS, CO, OAS 
SUBJECT: AUC'S SOUTHWESTERN ANTIOQUIA BLOC DEMOBILIZES 
 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) The 126 members of the Self Defense Forces of 
Southwestern Antioquia demobilized on January 30, bringing 
the total number of the United Self-Defense Forces of 
Colombia (AUC) members to have demobilized since December 
2003 to 4,699.  Senior paramilitary commanders Salvatore 
Mancuso and Ernesto Baez represented the AUC, Peace 
Commissioner Restrepo spoke on behalf of the GOC, and local 
government, church, police, and OAS officials attended.  The 
bloc operated in the foothills of the Antioquia-Choco border. 
 The FARC operate in the western part of these mountains. 
Several measures have been taken to prevent FARC incursions, 
including a permanent police station in the rural district 
where the bloc demobilized.  Six bloc members, including the 
two commanders, were implicated in serious crimes and 
directed to go to the concentration zone in Santa Fe de 
Ralito, Cordoba Department.  One of the commanders, "Rene," 
did not even leave Ralito to attend the event because he is 
wanted for involvement in the 1997 Mapiripan massacre.  The 
bloc turned in about 100 guns and almost 200 grenades, most 
of which were old.  The vast majority of the bloc members 
were from Antioquia.  End Summary. 
 
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Second Bloc to Demobilize in 2005 
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2. (U) On January 30, 126 members (122 men and four women) of 
the Self Defense Forces of Southwestern Antioquia demobilized 
in a public event in a specially designated zone 
approximately three hours from the city of Medellin.  As 
usual, senior paramilitary commanders Salvatore Mancuso and 
Ernesto Baez represented the AUC.  Baez read a note from the 
bloc commander, alias "Rene," who could not leave the 
concentration zone in Santa Fe de Ralito because he is wanted 
for involvement in the 1997 Mapiripan massacre in Meta 
Department.  Peace Commissioner Restrepo spoke on behalf of 
the GOC, and local government, church, police, and OAS 
officials attended. 
 
3. (U) The demobilization took place in a school in the rural 
district of Alfonso Lopez, in the municipality of Ciudad 
Bolivar.  The demobilization zone will last until February 
15.  By that time, all paramilitaries must have left and 
reported to a Reference and Orientation Center (CRO).  The 
bloc operated in the foothills along the Antioquia-Choco 
border.  The FARC have a presence in the western parts of 
these mountains, but had been blocked from southwest 
Antioquia, including from the Cali-Medellin highway, by the 
paramilitaries.  In order to prevent FARC incursions into the 
former AUC territory, the police have a permanent station in 
the urban center of the rural district.  The GOC installed a 
new communications antenna, and the Governor of Antioquia 
offered to match any new vehicle that the national government 
provided to the police or military in the area.  Restrepo 
praised the police for their commitment to protecting the 
region. 
 
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Old Weapons and Antioquia Natives 
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4. (U) Unlike other demobilized blocs, the Southwestern 
Antioquia group turned in old weapons.  The OAS and a 
government interagency group comprised of several security 
forces and run by the Department of Administrative Security 
(DAS, rough FBI equivalent) inventoried the weapons.  They 
will be stored on an Army base in Medellin.  According to the 
OAS, the group turned in 66 rifles, 16 revolvers, 7 pistols, 
168 grenades, four mortars, and 34 radios. 
 
5. (C) During the concentration, 124 bloc members took a 
demographic survey; were issued Reincorporation Program IDs; 
signed individual renunciations of AUC membership; were 
entered into the tracking and monitoring system; had their 
national identification cards ("cedulas") verified, replaced, 
or newly issued; and were given their first monthly 
reincorporation stipend of about USD 150 plus an additional 
USD 60 for relocation costs.  The bloc's two commanders did 
not go through this process.  Rene, the senior commander, did 
not attend the demobilization because of his active arrest 
warrant.  The other commander, Juan Gonzalez, attended the 
event but reportedly returned directly to Ralito because he 
was implicated in serious crimes.  Four other bloc members 
were implicated in serious crimes, including one woman for 
homicide, and directed to go to Ralito on government provided 
transportation. 
 
6. (U) One-hundred eighteen bloc members were from Antioquia. 
 Of these, 107 will report to the CRO in Medellin and 11 to 
the CRO in Turbo to continue the reinsertion process.  The 
remaining six were from elsewhere in Colombia. 
 
7. (U) This is the second AUC demobilization in 2005.  The 
first involved 925 members of the Northern Bloc in Cordoba 
Department.  This brings the total demobilized to 4,699 since 
December 2003.  The next demobilization of approximately 100 
members of the Self Defense Forces of La Mojana is 
tentatively scheduled for February 2. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WOOD