US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA5616

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 005616 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PREL, MOPS, MX, CO, ELN Peace Process 
SUBJECT: ELN'S HEROES OF ANORI BLOC DEMOBILIZES 
 
REF: BOGOTA 3726 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Milton K. Drucker, reasons 1.4 (b) and 
 (d) 
 
1. (U) Summary: Twenty-nine members of the National 
Liberation Army (ELN) in Antioquia surrendered to the 
Colombian Army's Fourth Brigade on June 1 and agreed to 
demobilize.  The "Heroes and Martyrs of Anori" became the 
first ELN members to demobilize in a mass ceremony.  Although 
the desertions will not have a significant effect on overall 
ELN numbers, President Uribe made it a point to laud the move 
and encourage other ELN leaders to restart the peace process. 
 The ELN's Central Command (COSE) will probably not agree 
since GOC cease-fire terms remain the same. End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On June 8, President Uribe praised the 
demobilization of 29 members of the National Liberation Army 
(ELN) bloc known as the "Heroes and Martyrs of Anori."  The 
men surrendered in a surprise move and became the first bloc 
of the ELN to participate in a mass demobilization a month 
and a half after the ELN ended its stalled peace process 
facilitation with Mexico (reftel).  The bloc took its name 
from two pivotal events in ELN history.  Colombian military 
mission "Operation Anori" of 1973 inflicted significant 
damage on the ELN and killed or exiled several guerrilla 
leaders.  The operation created a schism between the ELN's 
political revolutionary theorists and the armed 
revolutionaries.  Ten years later, the Heroes and Martyrs of 
Anori conference became the first national ELN meeting and 
reorganized the disparate guerrilla groups into national war 
fronts. 
3. (U) According to Medellin's daily El Colombiano, Commander 
Ramiro Alberto Ruiz (a.k.a. Eduard), justified his surrender 
by asserting, "In reality, armed struggle in Colombia makes 
no sense; here there is no chance of carrying out a 
revolution."  President Alvaro Uribe applauded the decision 
and suggested that it serve as an example or incentive for 
ELN leaders to consider restarting a peace process and 
signing a cease-fire.  Army Commander General Reinaldo 
Castellanos noted that Ruiz was one of the most wanted men in 
Antioquia when he surrendered -- a guerrilla combatant with 
20 years experience. 
 
4. (C) While the demobilization eliminates the ELN "Heroes" 
bloc, it will not affect ELN totals significantly since the 
guerrillas have been averaging 20 desertions per month 
nationally, roughly equal to the percentages leaving the FARC 
and AUC.  Antioquia Department, home to the ELN, FARC, and 
AUC, had the highest numbers of individual desertions in 2003 
and 2004. 
 
5. (C) Comment: The ELN's Central Command (COSE) will 
probably not restart the peace process since the GOC's 
pre-requisite of a cease-fire and a suspension on ELN 
kidnapping, which proved unacceptable in April, remains the 
same.  However, the monthly attrition, especially of veteran 
members like Eduardo, could push the group eventually either 
to accept total FARC control or acquiesce to GOC terms.  This 
is a further blow to the credibility of the ELN as an 
independent fighting force.  We attribute the ELN 
demobilization to a combination of tough government action, 
division and in-fighting within the ELN over the recent 
breakdown of facilitation of peace talks, and uncertainty 
within the organization about its own direction and future, 
especially a closer alliance with the FARC and entry into 
narcotics trafficking.  End Comment. 
DRUCKER