AUC CRITICIZES DEMOBILIZATION LAW AGAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003438

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2015
TAGS: KJUS PTER SNAR PHUM CO
SUBJECT: AUC CRITICIZES DEMOBILIZATION LAW AGAIN

REF: BOGOTA 2566

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)

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Summary
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1. (C) Several paramilitary commanders gave a press
conference on April 10 to say they did not approve of the
draft Law for Justice and Peace because it did not provide
enough legal guarantees. They said they would break off
talks if forced to do so. They did not directly threaten to
end negotiations if the law is passed. The press conference
was dominated by commanders who have been the least willing
to demobilize and most heavily involved in drug trafficking.
The least inflexible commanders, including Salvatore Mancuso,
were notably absent. End summary.

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Reiterating Complaints
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2. (U) On April 10, United Self Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC) commander Ernesto Baez led a press conference to warn
Congress that they do not approve of the draft Law for
Justice and Peace because it does not provide adequate legal
safeguards. He said the AUC was willing to break off talks
and return to the field if forced to do so. Baez specified,
however, that the press conference was not an ultimatum or a
threat to anyone. This is not the first time the AUC has
criticized the law. On March 15, they issued a communique
complaining that the draft did not provide enough legal
guarantees (reftel). The AUC wants a legal framework that
will guarantee no extradition. The GOC, however, has
repeatedly assured us that the law will not impede
extradition in any way.


3. (C) The commanders who gave the press conference have been
the most reticent to demobilize since the peace process
began. Ernesto Baez has said if the talks failed, the AUC
would have no choice but to form a "right wing insurgency" to
fight against the state and the guerrillas. Ramon Isaza,
newly named as the AUC's senior commander and commander of
the Self Defense Forces of Middle Magdalena, has been
reluctant to participate in peace talks because of his
mistrust of other AUC commanders. The rest of the commanders
present -- Diego Murrillo, Victor Mejia, Francisco Zuluaga,
Javier Montanez, and Victor Botalon -- are "narcoparas," who
have shown no willingness to demobilize their trafficking
structures. The more flexible commanders, including
Salvatore Mancuso and Hernan Hernandez, were notably absent.

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Little GOC Reaction
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4. (SBU) The Peace Commissioner's Office did not respond
officially to the press conference. In an interview
following an all day negotiation session with the AUC, Peace
Commissioner Restrepo said that the AUC's displeasure with
the law was only one of many issues discussed during
negotiations. Other issues included a message from President
Uribe that the AUC must fully comply with the cease-fire. He
emphasized that the GOC would not retract the draft law in
response to AUC complaints.

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Comment
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5. (SBU) The AUC did not state the exact circumstances of
when they would break off talks. The absence of some of the
prominent AUC commanders implies the AUC central command is
not in agreement about how to respond to the law.


WOOD