US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA7312

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 007312 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, MARR, MOPS, PHUM, SNAR, CO, FARC, Internally Displaced People 
SUBJECT: NEWEST PUTUMAYO ATTACKS TARGET GOC AND CIVILIANS 
ALIKE 
 
REF: BOGOTA 6237 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for Reasons 1.4 B & D 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) On July 20, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia 
(FARC) guerrillas began the second offensive in under a month 
against Putumayo Department.  The five-day mission targeted 
nine municipalities, including Mocoa, the department's 
capital.  As with attacks against military bases last month, 
the FARC amassed 300-600 fighters against several different 
targets in the area in nearly simultaneous offensives.  FARC 
fighters destroyed several municipalities' energy sources, 
created road blocks, engaged the Colombian military forces in 
battle, kidnapped civilians, blew up a major bridge, and 
declared 14 local government officials military targets. 
Colombian military forces have moved into the area to respond 
and prevent escape across the borders into Ecuador or Peru. 
End summary. 
 
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Details of Attacks 
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2. (C) Colombian military intelligence was aware that the 
FARC had moved troops into the area in mid-July, but was not 
prepared for the various coordinated attacks.  The first took 
place on July 19, when the FARC attempted to destroy the 
Naranjito bridge in the municipality of Villagarzon 
(Putumayo).  It was left lightly damaged but still standing. 
On July 20, the FARC's 32nd front dynamited an electrical 
tower leaving middle and southern Putumayo municipalities 
without power.  The same front began a roadblock between 
Mocoa and Pasto ) a major commercial route for the 
department on July 21.  Also on July 21, FARC front 13 
destroyed the Villalobos River's bridge, making the 
Mocoa-Pitalito road unpassable.  On July 22, 48th front 
fighters hit a SATENA airplane while it flew from Puerto 
Asis.  The FARC took police officers hostage on July 25 in 
Piamonte while others attacked soldiers in the Santa Rosa 
municipality of Cauca Department.  FARC forces burned 
vehicles, set fire to a tractor, and hit two HUEY helicopters 
July 25.  Per local officials, almost 750 families have left 
their homes because of the violence.  The FARC also declared 
Putumayo's governor and 13 mayors military targets. 
 
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Why now? 
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3. (C) This latest offensive builds on other attacks across 
the country over the last seven months.  The most recent, 
notable offensive was the FARC's June 25 attack on military 
bases in Teteye (reftel) and other areas along the Putumayo 
border with Ecuador.  That attack generated bilateral tension 
between the Colombian and Ecuadorian governments for weeks. 
Both agreed to hold ministerial discussions to resolve border 
security.  Teteye attacks killed 22 soldiers and were the 
deadliest one-day attacks during the Uribe Administration. 
Uribe responded by overseeing the strategic response 
personally and calling for greater intelligence gathering by 
the military.  In early July, the COLMIL dropped extensive 
ordnance in the largest Colombian Air Force mission in an 
attempt to kill Secretariat members leaving a high-level 
meeting. 
 
4. (C) While the GOC's counter-attack was unsuccessful, the 
FARC may be retaliating for the bombing campaign nonetheless. 
 Leading daily "El Tiempo" reports that the attacks may have 
been an attempt to distract COLMIL forces from hunting for 
FARC leader and Secretariat member Raul Reyes.  The Colombian 
military targeted both Reyes and the 48th front recently and 
the FARC may have gone on the offensive to deflect those 
efforts.  In either case, attacks build on the FARC's series 
of public attacks before the election to undermine Uribe's 
Democratic Security strategy. 
 
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GOC Responds 
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5. (U) President Uribe, MFA Carolina Barco, MOD Camilo Ospina 
and Social Action Advisor Luis Alfonso Hoyos have visited 
Putumayo over the last week, and vowed to remain engaged. 
Uribe told the press during a July 28 visit that he had 
directed the Army and Police forces to focus on solutions to 
the impasse.  He said, "I will not leave Putumayo on its own; 
if necessary I will move the government command here until 
public order is resolved."   Foreign Minister Barco met with 
her Ecuadorian counterpart to discuss bilateral cooperation 
(septel).  The Social Security Network, lead by the 
President's Social Action Advisor, Luis Alfonso Hoyos, 
announced on July 29 that the Network would offer social 
services in the municipalities of Puerto Asis, Mocoa, and 
Orito until the situation normalized.  In Puerto Asis, for 
example, the GOC delivered 12 tons of supplies including 
canned goods, coffee, milk, and toiletries to replenish 
diminishing stores, and implemented an emergency response 
plan to assist the nearly 60 families displaced by the 
conflict. 
 
6. (C)  Military officials have played down events over the 
last week.  For example, Police General Castro told the media 
that the roads were re-opened on July 25 and then was 
corrected as later reports revealed they remained closed. 
Colonel William Quintero Ramon, the commander of the Army's 
17th Jungle Brigade, resigned his assignment on July 29 after 
the two Putumayo attacks, but other military officials remain 
in place.  Per a July 22 Colombian Army Intelligence report, 
the area's residents are routinely both the victims and 
collaborators in FARC attacks, making detection and 
prevention more difficult.  Colombian naval forces have 
stationed three vessels at the tri-border area of the 
Putumayo River to stop FARC forces from escaping across the 
border.  Colombian military officials report that the road 
closures may not be lifted until August 8, further delaying 
economic recovery.  The San Miguel Orito pipeline was 
scheduled to resume operations on August 1. 
 
7. (C) Comment:  The military is reopening infrastructure 
damaged in the attacks, but Putumayo remains a vulnerable 
outpost along the Ecuadorian border.  The department not only 
has a petroleum pipeline to attract attacks, but also lacks 
sufficient troops to prevent the FARC's activities. 
WOOD