US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5567

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 005567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PHUM, KJUS, PGOV, CO, AUC 
SUBJECT: DON BERNA'S BLOCS BEGIN DEMOBILIZING 
 
REF: BOGOTA 5310 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Milton K. Drucker for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: Following senior AUC commanders "Don Berna," 
Vicente Castano, and "Javier Montanez" agreement to 
demobilize at least six blocs, the GOC has been preparing by 
streamlining the concentration and demobilization process and 
reaching out to local officials in areas where the blocs 
dominate.  Don Berna's Heroes de Tolova will begin 
concentrating on June 10 and officially demobilize five to 
seven days later. During the process, all relevant agencies, 
including the National Registrar, Department of 
Administrative Security, Prosecutor General,s Office, and 
OAS, will be present to identify, register, and document the 
demobilized.  Interagency coordination has improved, although 
the Prosecutor General's Office is still not fully engaged. 
End summary. 
 
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Demobilization Starting 
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2. (C) Upon turning himself into authorities, Don Berna 
agreed to demobilize all the blocs under his control 
(reftel).  Estimates vary as to how many men Berna controls, 
but several knowledgeable contacts, including independent 
security analyst Alfredo Rangel, believe he is responsible 
for up to 4,000.  Vicente Castano and Javier Montanez also 
agreed to demobilize their troops.  Estimates of their 
paramilitaries are less reliable, but could be as high as 
6,000 or 7,000. 
 
3. (C) The first bloc scheduled to demobilize is Don Berna's 
Heroes de Tolova, which has 400 paramilitaries and is 
powerful in southern Cordoba and northern Choco Departments. 
The GOC will begin concentrating the bloc on June 10 in a 
specially designated area in the rural district of "Altos de 
Rusia," Cordoba.  Don Berna's Heroes de Granada will probably 
be next.  The bloc has an estimated 2,300 members, according 
to the OAS verification mission, and dominates Medellin and 
the surrounding municipalities in the Aburre Valley.  The GOC 
is working to find a suitable concentration zone in a rural 
area outside Medellin.  The other blocs committed to 
demobilizing include: 
 
-- Pacific Bloc: controlled by Don Berna; operates on the 
coast of Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments. 
 
-- Self Defense Forces of Meta and Vichada: controlled by 
Javier Montanez; operates in the eastern plains. 
 
-- Liberators of the South: controlled by Javier Montanez; 
operates on the Pacific coast. 
 
-- Centauros Bloc: under the control of various mid level 
commanders but Vicente Castano will be responsible for 
demobilization; operates in the eastern plains. 
 
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Streamlining The Process 
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4. (C) The GOC has revised the concentration and 
demobilization process to make it more efficient.  The first 
phase will be five to seven days of concentration in a small, 
specially designated area.  The GOC will cross check the list 
of demobilizing bloc members with the Department of 
Administrative Security (DAS, rough FBI equivalent) and the 
National Registrar's Office to confirm the identities of as 
many as possible. 
 
5. (C) Next, a maximum five-day registration period will 
begin.  The bloc will be divided into groups of 100.  Each 
group will go through a full day of registration, including 
receiving a reinsertion identity card that has name, date of 
birth, fingerprint, and photo; taking a demographic survey; 
being issued/reissued a national identity card by the 
Registrar; a briefing on reinsertion benefits and 
obligations; at least two psychological counseling sessions; 
and a check-in with the OAS verification mission.  The 
Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) is also supposed to be 
present to begin verifying that the demobilized are not 
guilty of any major crimes and are eligible for pardon under 
Law 782. 
6. (C) Peace Commissioner Restrepo has said no more than 500 
paramilitaries can concentrate and demobilize at one time, 
meaning large blocs such as the Heroes de Granada will have 
to demobilize in several stages.  Following registration, the 
demobilized will leave the concentration zone, return home, 
and report to the nearest Reference and Orientation Center 
(CRO), where they will enroll in the Ministry of Interior and 
Justice's reinsertion programs and continue the pardon 
process with the Fiscalia. 
 
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Cooperation Improving 
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7. (C) Coordination among the government agencies involved in 
demobilization has improved.  Confusion and competition 
between the Peace Commissioner's Office and Ministry of 
Interior and Justice over control of reinsertion has 
decreased.  The Ministry manages the CROs.  However, Fiscalia 
staff continue to complain that the Uribe administration has 
not informed them of when or where the demobilizations will 
be.  The Peace Commissioner and Justice and Interior Ministry 
staff, meanwhile, have complained that the Fiscalia has shown 
little interest in participating.  We continue to urge both 
the Fiscalia and other agencies involved in demobilization to 
coordinate the important debriefing and pardon process. 
 
8. (C) The Peace Commissioner's Office has been reaching out 
to local government officials in areas where demobilizations 
are planned to explain and get local support for the 
reinsertion process.  Restrepo and his staff presented the 
revised concentration and demobilization program to local 
officials in Medellin and plan to do the same in numerous 
other cities in the coming weeks. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRUCKER