PUBLIC PROTESTS GROW IN THE FACE OF FARC

id: 2446 date: 2/4/2002 11:52 refid: 02BOGOTA1025 origin: Embassy Bogota classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: 02BOGOTA879|02BOGOTA918 header: P 041152Z FEB 02 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6573 INFO NSC WASHDC AMEMBASSY PANAMA AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA AMEMBASSY LIMA USCINCSO MIAMI FL JOINT STAFF WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC DIRONDCP WASHDC -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 001025 E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2007 TAGS: PTER PGOV PINS CO SUBJECT: PUBLIC PROTESTS GROW IN THE FACE OF FARC ATTACKS REFS: A) BOGOTA 00918 B) BOGOTA 00879 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR ANNE W. PATTERSON FOR REASONS: 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: AS THE FARC'S WAVE OF VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, PRESIDENT PASTRANA MET WITH HIS TOP MILITARY AND CIVILIAN ADVISORS TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO COMBAT THE GUERRILLA ATTACKS. MEANWHILE, POPULAR ATTITUDES ARE HARDENING AGAINST THE FARC, AS PEOPLE TAKE TO THE STREETS TO PROTEST THE INDISCRIMINATE VIOLENCE. END SUMMARY. -------------- ATTACKS CONTINUE -------------- ¶2. (U) THE FARC'S WAVE OF VIOLENCE CONTINUES, DESPITE THE GROWING POPULAR CONDEMNATION OF THE GUERRILLA ATTACKS. ON JANUARY 30, THE FARC DETONATED A CAR BOMB BEHIND THE CARACOL TV AND RADIO BUILDING IN CENTRAL BOGOTA. NO ONE WAS HURT IN THE ATTACK, BUT SIX PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 25 WERE INJURED IN FLORENCIA (CAQUETA DEPARTMENT) WHEN THE FARC ACTIVATED A BOMB WHILE A MILITARY CONVOY WAS PASSING BY. THEY ALSO EXPLODED TWO PACKAGE BOMBS IN FRONT OF THE ARMY'S 5TH MECHANIZED DIVISION BARRACKS IN MEDELLIN. -------------- NEW SECURITY MEASURES -------------- ¶3. (U) ON JANUARY 31, COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ANDRES PASTRANA HELD A SECURITY SUMMIT WITH HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL AND MILITARY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS MEASURES TO COMBAT THE FARC OFFENSIVE. THE SUMMIT WAS ATTENDED BY INTERIOR MINISTER ARMANDO ESTRADA, JUSTICE MINISTER ROMULO GONZALEZ, VICE PRESIDENT AND DEFENSE MINISTER GUSTAVO BELL, ARMY COMMANDER GENERAL JORGE ENRIQUE MORA, NAVY COMMANDER ADMIRAL SOTO, POLICE DIRECTOR LUIS ERNESTO GILIBERT AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT OF SECURITY (DAS - FBI EQUIVALENT) DIRECTOR COLONEL GERMAN GUSTAVO JARAMILLO. SUBSEQUENTLY, PRESIDENT PASTRANA ANNOUNCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS IMPLEMENTING THE FOLLOWING SECURITY MEASURES: -- INSPECTION CHECKPOINTS AT THE ENTRANCES AND EXITS OF ALL CITIES; -- MOBILE CHECKPOINTS INSIDE THE CITIES; -- RAIDS OF SITES WHERE ATTACKS ARE BEING PLANNED; AND -- AN INCREASE OF FUNDS TO PAY INFORMANTS. -------------- GROWING PROTESTS -------------- ¶4. (U) THE NEW MEASURES WERE ANNOUNCED AS PUBLIC OPINION CONCERNING THE FARC'S TACTICS HAS TURNED STRONGLY AGAINST THE GUERRILLAS. ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, THE RESIDENTS OF META PROVINCE HELD A 15-MINUTE "POT-BANGING PROTEST" TO VOICE THEIR OBJECTION TO THE FARC'S RECENT ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE, WHILE BOGOTA MAYOR ANTANAS MOCKUS LED A SIMILAR PROTEST IN NORTHERN BOGOTA. THIS PROTEST FOLLOWED A THREE-MINUTE "LIGHTS-OUT" IN BOGOTA TO PROTEST THE FARC'S ATTACKS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH HAVE DESTROYED SCORES OF ELECTRICAL PYLONS AND HAVE DAMAGED A MAJOR WATER SUPPLY FOR THE CAPITAL. ¶5. (U) EVEN THOSE WHO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE PEACE PROCESS HAVE CONDEMNED THE FARC ATTACKS. INGRID BETANCOURT, AN INDEPENDENT "GREEN" PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SHARPLY CRITICIZED THE FARC AND CALLED ON THE GUERRILLAS TO CEASE THESE ATTACKS. ANDERS KOMPASS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN COLOMBIA, DESCRIBED THE ATTACKS AS "DEPLORABLE" AND "COUNTERPRODUCTIVE." -------------- MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS -------------- ¶6. (C) WHILE IT IS NOT YET CLEAR WHETHER THE COLMIL HAS RE-DEPLOYED FROM ITS STAGING POINT OUTSIDE OF THE FARC'S SAFE HAVEN ("DESPEJE"),DAO REPORTS THAT THE COLAR'S 21ST BATTALION BASED IN GRANADA HAS BEEN DEFENDING KEY POPULATION CENTERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE REGION AROUND THE DESPEJE (REF B). THE RAPID DEPLOYMENT FORCE (FUDRA) ALSO HAS BEEN CONDUCTING OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS AGAINST THE FARC'S 26TH FRONT AND IS STILL FORWARD DEPLOYED IN META DEPARTMENT. -------------- COMMENT: -------------- ¶7. (C) ANALYSTS HAVE POSITED A NUMBER OF THEORIES ABOUT THE FARC'S ONGOING OFFENSIVE. SOME SENIOR MILITARY AND POLICE OFFICIALS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT THE FARC HAS MARKEDLY STEPPED UP ITS ATTACKS AROUND BOGOTA, SUGGESTING THAT THE GUERRILLAS MIGHT BE TRYING TO ISOLATE THE CAPITAL. MANY OBSERVERS ALSO BELIEVE THE FARC'S ACTIONS ARE MOTIVATED BY A DESIRE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR MILITARY CAPABILITIES, APPARENTLY IN THE HOPES OF BOLSTERING THEIR LEVERAGE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. ANOTHER THEORY IS THAT THE FARC IS STEPPING UP ITS ATTACKS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO DRAW COLMIL FORCES AWAY FROM THE DESPEJE -- IN EFFECT, FORCING THE MILITARY TO LOOSEN THE SECURITY CONTROLS ON THE FARC SAFE HAVEN, SOMETHING THAT THE GOC HAD REFUSED TO DO IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. WHATEVER THEIR MOTIVES, THE FARC'S LATEST OFFENSIVE MIGHT BE A PYHRRIC VICTORY. WHILE THEIR ATTACKS HAVE HAD A PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON THE POPULACE (ESPECIALLY IN THE CITIES),THESE ACTIONS HAVE PRODUCED A POLITICAL REACTION THAT ULTIMATELY UNDERMINES THE FARC'S INTERESTS. PATTERSON =======================CABLE ENDS============================