Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03BOGOTA286
2003-01-15 00:44:00
SECRET
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
MASS GRAVE SITE DISCOVERED IN CAQUETA
how-toO 150044Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3486 INFO CIA WASHDC PRIORITY DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY DIA WASHDC PRIORITY NSC WASHDC PRIORITY SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY USCINCSO MIAMI FL PRIORITY
S E C R E T BOGOTA 000286
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2013
TAGS: PHUM PTER PINS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: MASS GRAVE SITE DISCOVERED IN CAQUETA
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR ANNE W. PATTERSON. REASON 1.5 (B)
AND (D).
S E C R E T BOGOTA 000286
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2013
TAGS: PHUM PTER PINS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: MASS GRAVE SITE DISCOVERED IN CAQUETA
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR ANNE W. PATTERSON. REASON 1.5 (B)
AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT OF THE PROSECUTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING THE DISCOVERY OF WHAT ARE
BELIEVED TO BE THE GRAVES OF OVER 100 VICTIMS OF PARAMILITARY
ATROCITIES IN CAQUETA DEPARTMENT. THE VICTIMS ARE BELIEVED
TO BE ALLEGED FARC SYMPATHIZERS WHO WERE TORTURED AND
EXECUTED BETWEEN ONE AND TWO YEARS AGO. TWO PARAMILITARIES
SUSPECTED OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE CRIMES ARE IN CUSTODY, AND
AN ARREST WARRANT IS OUTSTANDING FOR A THIRD. POLOFF AND DOJ
REPRESENTATIVES WILL MEET WITH THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE
CASEIN NEIVA ON JANUARY 16. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) ON JANUARY 7, OFFICIALS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT OF
THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE (FISCALIA) TOLD EMBOFFS THAT
INTELLIGENCE GATHERED BY ITS CORPS OF TECHNICAL INVESTIGATORS
(CTI) HAD LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF AT LEAST 36 SHALLOW GRAVES
NEAR THE VILLAGE OF PUERTO TORRES, IN SOUTHWESTERN CAQUETA
DEPARTMENT. A TEAM OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS
SPENT TWO WEEKS EXHUMING BODIES AND STUDYING THE SITE,
LOCATED IN ONE OF THE FEW AREAS OF CAQUETA CONTROLLED BY
PARAMILITARIES. COLOMBIAN MEDIA HAVE SINCE REPORTED THE
EXISTENCE OF THE GRAVE SITE AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF
PARAMILITARY INVOLVEMENT, BUT THEY SEEMINGLY HAVE NO DETAILS.
3. (C) THE INVESTIGATION IS BEING DIRECTED BY THE NEIVA
BRANCH OF THE FISCALIA'S NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS UNITS, A
SATELLITE OFFICE ESTABLISHED WITH USG FUNDS. USG MONEY ALSO
PURCHASED MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT USED IN THE EXHUMATIONS AND
FORENSIC ANALYSES CONDUCTED SO FAR. (COMMENT: THIS IS YET
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE HIGH-PROFILE INVESTIGATIONS UNDERTAKEN
BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR
ELBA BEATRIZ SILVA. END COMMENT.)
4. (C) THE EMBASSY'S LONG-STANDING, COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT ALLOWED POST TO RECEIVE A
PRELIMINARY WRITTEN REPORT ON THE CASE, ACCOMPANIED BY
PHOTOGRAPHS DOCUMENTING THE ON-SITE EXHUMATIONS. THE DETAILS
OF THE INVESTIGATION REMAIN HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND HAVE NOT
BEEN RELEASED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR FEAR OF COMPROMISING
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS.
5. (S) ACCORDING TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT'S REPORT, IN
OCTOBER CONFESSED PARAMILITARY EFREN MARTINEZ INFORMED AGENTS
OF THE FISCALIA'S CORPS OF TECHNICAL INVESTIGATORS (CTI) OF
THE EXISTENCE OF AN IMPROVISED GRAVEYARD IN SOUTHWESTERN
CAQUETA WHERE THE BODIES OF MORE THAN 100 PARAMILITARY
VICTIMS WERE BURIED. BASED ON MARTINEZ'S CONFESSION, ON
OCTOBER 16 A GROUP OF 25 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALISTS
AND PROSECUTORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY CONVERGED ON THE
SMALL VILLAGE OF PUERTO TORRES, MUNICIPALITY OF BELEN DE LOS
ANDAQUIES. ONE HUNDRED RANDOM TEST PITS EXCAVATED AT THE
SITE REVEALED 36 BODIES, 33 MEN AND THREE WOMEN, IN VARIED
STAGES OF ADVANCED DECOMPOSITION. AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE THAT
THE VICTIMS WERE KILLED BETWEEN ONE AND TWO YEARS AGO. THE
LIMBS OF MOST WERE BOUND WITH BALING WIRE, MOST HAD BEEN
DECAPITATED AND DISMEMBERED, AND MANY SHOWED SIGNS OF
PROLONGED TORTURE. LOGS AND TREES, SCARRED WITH BULLET HOLES
AND DEEP MACHETE MARKS, WERE CLEARLY SITES OF MULTIPLE
EXECUTIONS. INVESTIGATORS REMAINED AT THE SITE UNTIL OCTOBER
30, WHEN A PRECARIOUS SECURITY SITUATION FORCED THEIR
PREMATURE DEPARTURE.
6. (S) CONFESSED PARAMILITARY MARTINEZ AND FORMER ARMY
CAPTAIN EVERARDO BOLANOS, ALLEGEDLY SECOND-IN-COMMAND OF THE
REGIONAL PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATION, ARE IN CUSTODY UNDER
PRE-TRIAL DETENTION ORDERS LINKING THEM TO THE CRIMES. AN
ARREST WARRANT ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 19 IS OUTSTANDING FOR
FORMER ARMY SERGEANT NEVARDO ANTONIO MILLAN, THE ALLEGED
COMMANDER OF THE CAQUETA PARAMILITARIES APPARENTLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ATROCITIES.
7. (C) RATHER THAN VICTIMS OF A SINGLE MASSACRE, THE DEAD
ARE PRESUMED TO BE ALLEGED FARC SUPPORTERS WHO DISAPPEARED
INDIVIDUALLY OR IN SMALL GROUPS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
FORENSIC EXPERTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS'
IDENTITIES THROUGH DNA ANALYSIS. POLOFF AND DOJ
REPRESENTATIVES WILL TRAVEL TO NEIVA ON JANUARY 16 TO MEET
WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT'S LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE CASE.
PROSECUTORS EXPECT TO CONTINUE THEIR ON-SITE INVESTIGATION
WHEN THE AREA IS FULLY SECURED. POST WILL ATTEMPT TO VISIT
THE SITE AS SOON AS SECURITY CONDITIONS PERMIT.
PATTERSON
>
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2013
TAGS: PHUM PTER PINS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: MASS GRAVE SITE DISCOVERED IN CAQUETA
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR ANNE W. PATTERSON. REASON 1.5 (B)
AND (D).
1. (C) SUMMARY: THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT OF THE PROSECUTOR
GENERAL'S OFFICE IS INVESTIGATING THE DISCOVERY OF WHAT ARE
BELIEVED TO BE THE GRAVES OF OVER 100 VICTIMS OF PARAMILITARY
ATROCITIES IN CAQUETA DEPARTMENT. THE VICTIMS ARE BELIEVED
TO BE ALLEGED FARC SYMPATHIZERS WHO WERE TORTURED AND
EXECUTED BETWEEN ONE AND TWO YEARS AGO. TWO PARAMILITARIES
SUSPECTED OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE CRIMES ARE IN CUSTODY, AND
AN ARREST WARRANT IS OUTSTANDING FOR A THIRD. POLOFF AND DOJ
REPRESENTATIVES WILL MEET WITH THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE
CASEIN NEIVA ON JANUARY 16. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) ON JANUARY 7, OFFICIALS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT OF
THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE (FISCALIA) TOLD EMBOFFS THAT
INTELLIGENCE GATHERED BY ITS CORPS OF TECHNICAL INVESTIGATORS
(CTI) HAD LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF AT LEAST 36 SHALLOW GRAVES
NEAR THE VILLAGE OF PUERTO TORRES, IN SOUTHWESTERN CAQUETA
DEPARTMENT. A TEAM OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS
SPENT TWO WEEKS EXHUMING BODIES AND STUDYING THE SITE,
LOCATED IN ONE OF THE FEW AREAS OF CAQUETA CONTROLLED BY
PARAMILITARIES. COLOMBIAN MEDIA HAVE SINCE REPORTED THE
EXISTENCE OF THE GRAVE SITE AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF
PARAMILITARY INVOLVEMENT, BUT THEY SEEMINGLY HAVE NO DETAILS.
3. (C) THE INVESTIGATION IS BEING DIRECTED BY THE NEIVA
BRANCH OF THE FISCALIA'S NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS UNITS, A
SATELLITE OFFICE ESTABLISHED WITH USG FUNDS. USG MONEY ALSO
PURCHASED MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT USED IN THE EXHUMATIONS AND
FORENSIC ANALYSES CONDUCTED SO FAR. (COMMENT: THIS IS YET
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE HIGH-PROFILE INVESTIGATIONS UNDERTAKEN
BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR
ELBA BEATRIZ SILVA. END COMMENT.)
4. (C) THE EMBASSY'S LONG-STANDING, COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT ALLOWED POST TO RECEIVE A
PRELIMINARY WRITTEN REPORT ON THE CASE, ACCOMPANIED BY
PHOTOGRAPHS DOCUMENTING THE ON-SITE EXHUMATIONS. THE DETAILS
OF THE INVESTIGATION REMAIN HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND HAVE NOT
BEEN RELEASED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR FEAR OF COMPROMISING
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS.
5. (S) ACCORDING TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT'S REPORT, IN
OCTOBER CONFESSED PARAMILITARY EFREN MARTINEZ INFORMED AGENTS
OF THE FISCALIA'S CORPS OF TECHNICAL INVESTIGATORS (CTI) OF
THE EXISTENCE OF AN IMPROVISED GRAVEYARD IN SOUTHWESTERN
CAQUETA WHERE THE BODIES OF MORE THAN 100 PARAMILITARY
VICTIMS WERE BURIED. BASED ON MARTINEZ'S CONFESSION, ON
OCTOBER 16 A GROUP OF 25 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALISTS
AND PROSECUTORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY CONVERGED ON THE
SMALL VILLAGE OF PUERTO TORRES, MUNICIPALITY OF BELEN DE LOS
ANDAQUIES. ONE HUNDRED RANDOM TEST PITS EXCAVATED AT THE
SITE REVEALED 36 BODIES, 33 MEN AND THREE WOMEN, IN VARIED
STAGES OF ADVANCED DECOMPOSITION. AUTHORITIES ESTIMATE THAT
THE VICTIMS WERE KILLED BETWEEN ONE AND TWO YEARS AGO. THE
LIMBS OF MOST WERE BOUND WITH BALING WIRE, MOST HAD BEEN
DECAPITATED AND DISMEMBERED, AND MANY SHOWED SIGNS OF
PROLONGED TORTURE. LOGS AND TREES, SCARRED WITH BULLET HOLES
AND DEEP MACHETE MARKS, WERE CLEARLY SITES OF MULTIPLE
EXECUTIONS. INVESTIGATORS REMAINED AT THE SITE UNTIL OCTOBER
30, WHEN A PRECARIOUS SECURITY SITUATION FORCED THEIR
PREMATURE DEPARTURE.
6. (S) CONFESSED PARAMILITARY MARTINEZ AND FORMER ARMY
CAPTAIN EVERARDO BOLANOS, ALLEGEDLY SECOND-IN-COMMAND OF THE
REGIONAL PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATION, ARE IN CUSTODY UNDER
PRE-TRIAL DETENTION ORDERS LINKING THEM TO THE CRIMES. AN
ARREST WARRANT ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 19 IS OUTSTANDING FOR
FORMER ARMY SERGEANT NEVARDO ANTONIO MILLAN, THE ALLEGED
COMMANDER OF THE CAQUETA PARAMILITARIES APPARENTLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ATROCITIES.
7. (C) RATHER THAN VICTIMS OF A SINGLE MASSACRE, THE DEAD
ARE PRESUMED TO BE ALLEGED FARC SUPPORTERS WHO DISAPPEARED
INDIVIDUALLY OR IN SMALL GROUPS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
FORENSIC EXPERTS ARE ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIMS'
IDENTITIES THROUGH DNA ANALYSIS. POLOFF AND DOJ
REPRESENTATIVES WILL TRAVEL TO NEIVA ON JANUARY 16 TO MEET
WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS UNIT'S LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE CASE.
PROSECUTORS EXPECT TO CONTINUE THEIR ON-SITE INVESTIGATION
WHEN THE AREA IS FULLY SECURED. POST WILL ATTEMPT TO VISIT
THE SITE AS SOON AS SECURITY CONDITIONS PERMIT.
PATTERSON
>