US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA8817

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 008817 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, CO, FARC 
SUBJECT: FARC DECLINES GOC PRISONER EXCHANGE, BLAMES GOC 
FOR IMPASSE 
 
REF: BOGOTA 8367 
 
1. (U) On September 16, ANNCOL posted a message from the 
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ) People's Army 
(FARC-EP) declining the Colombian government's offer to hold 
a prisoner exchange in Bolo Azul, Valle del Cauca Department. 
 The FARC reiterated longstanding demands in the communique 
and added another name to the list of imprisoned FARC members 
they want returned ) Francisco Caraballo. 
 
2. (U) Francisco Caraballo aka "El Negro" or "Pacho" was a 
leader of a splinter faction of the Popular Liberation Army 
(EPL) that refused to demobilize during the 1991 peace 
process when he was arrested in June 1994.  Caraballo was 
sentenced to 38 years on charges of conspiracy to kidnap, 
murder, and sedition.  Some human rights NGOs charged the GOC 
had failed to follow due process.  In a 2004 interview, 
Caraballo remarked that he supported the idea of a united 
guerrilla organization made up of FARC, EPL, and National 
Liberation Army (ELN) fighters.  The FARC called for EPL's 
Caraballo and the ELN's Francisco Galan to be freed on 
ANNCOL's website in 2004. 
 
3. (U) Valle del Cauca Governor Angelino Garzon told "W 
Radio" on September 16 that he still believed the FARC would 
negotiate in the future.  He claimed that, although the FARC 
and GOC have had no success during the Uribe Administration 
on a prisoner exchange, he did not believe the FARC's reply 
was a refusal.  He added that Valle del Cauca Department 
would remain available for any negotiation. 
 
4. (U) Begin informal translation of FARC communique posted 
on September 16: 
 
The FARC Ratifies its Willingness to Achieve a Humanitarian 
Exchange. 
 
-- The proposal of a prisoner swap or exchange through a 
"humanitarian accord" between the Colombian State and the 
FARC-EP to put an end to the captivity of prisoners of war on 
both sides has been, and remains, a reoccurring initiative of 
the FARC that the state has systematically denied. 
 
-- The will of the FARC-EP to establish an encounter between 
the parties has been backed up with action.  Since the 
beginning of this government, we named spokespeople and 
proposed a "despeje" (demilitarized zone) in the 
municipalities of San Vicente del Caguan and Cartagena del 
Chaira, Caqueta Department.  The government refused those 
locations, arguing that it was carrying out Plan Patriota and 
that the FARC was using a ploy to ease military operations in 
the area.  In light of this false estimation by the 
government, the FARC-EP proposed that public forces depart 
Pradera and Florida municipalities in Valle del Cauca 
Department for a period of just 30 days, to guarantee the 
safety of representatives. 
 
-- To the contrary, the government has neglected the national 
outcry by the victims' families, numerous social and 
political sectors, various ex-presidents, local opinion 
leaders, the Catholic Church, its own prisoners and allies. 
The government offers unworkable counter-proposals only to 
show-off and grandstand to further its own interests. 
Consequently, it attempts to conceal its only clear, defined 
policy: to wage a war against the Colombian people and its 
organizations without considering peaceful options to resolve 
the crisis. 
 
-- The Colombian government has ignored good-faith offers of 
other governments and international organizations on many 
occasions that we could name.  Lies and deceit are routine in 
state diplomacy and used to manage the international 
community's declarations and create a favorable opinion for 
their own goals.  When used in this way, the simple issue of 
a humanitarian exchange becomes a propaganda tool and a 
campaigning issue for presidential re-election. 
 
-- The FARC-EP appreciate the French, Swiss, and other 
supportive nations for their political outlets, and efforts 
to help solidify a humanitarian exchange to end the 
prisoners' drama brought on by Colombia's internal conflict. 
This continuing effort is a result of the Colombian public's 
longing to free their prisoners. 
 
-- The FARC-EP once again confirms before international 
public opinion its dedicated willingness to succeed with a 
humanitarian exchange freeing all of our prisoners of war, 
including Francisco Caraballo, at a separate location once we 
sign an agreement.  As the Secretariat restated, the eventual 
meeting will take place in our national territory. 
Therefore, we demand that the public forces withdraw from 
Pradera and Florida municipalities in Valle del Cauca 
Department for 30 days. 
 
International Commission of the FARC-EP 
Mountains of Colombia, September 10, 2005 
 
End text. 
WOOD