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AND THE FARC APPEARS TO HAVE WITHDRAWN IN THE FACE OF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