COLOMBIA NATIONAL POLICE PRESENCE IN CONFLICTIVE AREAS:

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001187 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL PTER CO SUBJECT: COLOMBIA NATIONAL POLICE PRESENCE IN CONFLICTIVE AREAS: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ¶1. ONE OF PRESIDENT URIBE'S TOP STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES HAS BEEN TO "CONSOLIDATE STATE CONTROL" OVER COLOMBIAN TERRITORY BY REESTABLISHING A PUBLIC SECURITY FORCE PRESENCE THROUGHOUT COLOMBIA. IN AUGUST 2002, WHEN PRESIDENT URIBE TOOK OFFICE, 158 OF COLOMBIA'S 1098 MUNICIPALITIES (EQUIVALENT TO U.S. COUNTIES) HAD NO POLICE PRESENCE, AND THESE POPULATIONS WERE OFTEN UNDER DE FACTO CONTROL OF COLOMBIA'S TERRORIST GROUPS. THE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE (CNP),WITH USG SUPPORT VIA THE NAS REESTABLISH PUBLIC SECURITY PROJECT, HAS NOW COMPLETED THE PLAN TO DEPLOY PERMANENT POLICE UNITS TO ALL OF THE COUNTRY'S MUNICIPALITIES. THE LAST THREE MUNICIPALITIES (MIRAFLORES IN GUAVIARE DEPARTMENT, AND CARURU AND TARAIRA IN VAUPES DEPARTMENT) WERE REOCCUPIED BETWEEN JANUARY 31 AND FEBRUARY 4, 2004. THE CNP, ARMY, AND AIR FORCE CONDUCTED WELL-PLANNED AND -EXECUTED JOINT OPERATIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK. NO FRIENDLY COMBAT LOSSES WERE REPORTED AND THE FARC APPEARS TO HAVE WITHDRAWN IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING GOVERNMENT FORCE. SEPTEL WILL PROVIDE PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL DETAILS. ¶2. COMMENT: MIRAFLORES, WHICH FELL TO THE FARC IN AUGUST 1998, AND CARURU ARE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR THE GOC AND STRATEGIC AND SYMBOLIC LOSSES FOR THE FARC. MIRAFLORES HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF FARC DRUG TRAFFICKING IN GUAVIARE DEPARTMENT AND WILL SERVE AS A VALUABLE FORWARD OPERATING LOCATION FOR AERIAL ERADICATION OPERATIONS IN THAT REGION. CARURU HAS BEEN A PRIMARY AIRFIELD USED BY ILLEGAL AIRCRAFT SUSPECTED OF NARCOTRAFFICKING; A POLICE PRESENCE THERE WILL FACILITATE COLOMBIAN AIR BRIDGE DENIAL OPERATIONS ALONG THE COLOMBIA-BRAZIL BORDER. END COMMENT. WOOD