FIVE MORE DEMOBILIZATIONS PLANNED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 006680

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015
TAGS: PTER PHUM KJUS CO AUC
SUBJECT: FIVE MORE DEMOBILIZATIONS PLANNED

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

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Summary
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1. (C) The GOC is preparing to demobilize at least five blocs
in the coming weeks, including the last of senior AUC
commander Don Berna's, and has expressed confidence that the
rest of the AUC will be fully demobilized by the end of 2005.
The first of the five scheduled blocs, the Montes de Maria
Bloc, formally demobilized on July 14. In order to
facilitate other demobilizations, the GOC temporarily
suspended arrest warrants for six bloc commanders and
identified three concentration zones. The commanders of the
several-thousand strong Central Bolivar Bloc and the other
remaining AUC blocs published two communiques pledging to
demobilize. According to the government, this essentially
would mark the end of the AUC as a major organization. The
OAS and the Peace Commissioner have expressed concern about
resource shortages to orchestrate so many demobilizations in
such a short time frame. End summary.

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A Flurry Of Demobilizations
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2. (C) The GOC is pushing forward at least five paramilitary
bloc demobilizations in the coming weeks. The following are
the blocs scheduled to demobilize by the end of August:

-- The Self-Defense Forces of Montes de Maria began
concentrating on July 7 in a seven-hectare farm specially
designated as a concentration zone in the municipality of
Maria La Baja, Bolivar Department. The bloc had almost 600
members and publicly demobilized on July 14. Eduardo Cotes
Tellez ("Diego Vecino") and Rodrigo Mercado Pelufo ("Rodrigo
Cadena") are the bloc's commanders. Both were permitted to
leave the concentration zone in Ralito to lead the
demobilization under heavy DAS security, but neither was
eligible for pardon under Law 782 because they have pending
arrest warrants. Instead, they will return to Ralito to
await processing under the Law for Justice and Peace. The
group was active in Sucre, Bolivar, and Cordoba Departments.

-- The Heroes of Granada and the Pacific Bloc are the last
remaining active blocs of senior AUC command Diego Murillo
("Don Berna"). Murillo pledged to demobilize all of his
troops after turning himself in to authorities in May for the
murder of the local government official. The Heroes of
Granada are active in and around Medellin and have an
estimated 2,000 members. They will demobilize in a specially
designated zone in San Roque, Antioquia Department. Daniel
Alberto Mejia Angel is the bloc's operational commander. The
GOC suspended his arrest warrant until the end of August to
permit him to lead the bloc's demobilization. The Pacific
Bloc has between 200 to 300 members, is active on the coast
of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, and involved in drug
trafficking off the Pacific coast. It will demobilize in a
yet unidentified zone in Choco Department, south of the city
of Quibdo. The arrest warrant for its operational commander,
Luis Eduardo Echavarria Durango, was also suspended until the
end of August so he could lead the demobilization.

-- The Liberators of the South will be the next bloc to
demobilize, according to members of the OAS verification
mission. The group is part of the Central Bolivar Bloc
(BCB),which totals several thousand members and has units
throughout the country. The Liberators of the South will
demobilize in a yet unidentified concentration zone near the
airport of Pasto, Narino Department. The group has an
estimated 100 or 200 members, operates in Narino Department,
and is involved in drug trafficking off the Pacific coast.

-- The Self-Defense Forces of Meta and Vichada are commanded
by Jose Baldomero Linares, whose arrest warrant was suspended
until the end of August. The bloc has around 800 members.

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And More On the Way
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3. (C) The remaining AUC commanders with active blocs issued
two communiques pledging to demobilize. Peace Commissioner
Restrepo is confident he will have demobilized all of the AUC
by the end of 2005 (septel). On July 7, BCB commanders
Javier Montanez ("Macaco"),Julian Bolivar, Pablo Sevillano,
and Ernesto Baez said they would demobilize all their troops,
active in Santander, Norte de Santander, southern Bolivar,
Vichada, Antioquia, Boyaca, Caldas, Risaralda, Caqueta,
Narino, and Putumayo Departments. They said they would begin
concentrating their troops as soon as the government named
concentration zones. As a first step, the GOC suspended the
arrest warrant for Rodrigo Perez Alzate ("Guillermo Alzate")
for two months to allow him to represent the BCB during
demobilizations. According to the OAS, the BCB has 5,500
members. Other estimates indicate it has up to 7,000. It is
the single largest AUC bloc and one of the most powerful.
OAS verification mission director Sergio Caramagna has
expressed concern that neither his office nor the GOC have
the resources to demobilize so many paramilitaries
simultaneously (septel). Restrepo has said he would need to
triple his staff to carry out the demobilizations
effectively.


4. (U) On July 9, senior AUC commanders Ramon Isaza, Ramiro
Vanoy Murillo ("Cuco"),Pablo Mejia, and Jorge Tovar ("Jorge
40") pledged to demobilize the Middle Magdalena Bloc, the
Miners' Bloc, the Vanquishers of Arauca, and the Northern
Bloc. These four blocs would be the final active AUC blocs.
As a first step, the GOC suspended Isaza's arrest warrant for
two months.
WOOD