PARAMILITARY DEMOBILIZATION UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 007588

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2015
TAGS: PTER PHUM SNAR PGOV CO AUC
SUBJECT: PARAMILITARY DEMOBILIZATION UPDATE

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

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Summary
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1. (C) In early August, three more paramilitary blocs
demobilized, bringing the total number of demobilized
paramilitaries to over 8,700 since 2003. The Liberators of
the South demobilized 676 members, the Heroes of Granada
demobilized 2,033, and the Self-Defense Forces of Meta and
Vichada demobilized 200. During the process, all
paramilitaries from the three blocs went through the numerous
mandatory registration steps, including being checked through
the Department of Administrative Security (DAS, rough FBI
equivalent) database for pending arrest warrants, giving DNA
swabs, fingerprints, dental records, and photos to the
Prosecutor General's Technical Investigative Corp (CTI),and
being entered into the government's electronic tracking and
monitoring system. According to the GOC, senior AUC
commander "Don Berna" has now demobilized all his troops,
which he had pledged to do in June after turning himself in
to authorities for murdering a local government official.
Almost 6,000 members of the Central Bolivar Bloc (BCB),the
largest and most powerful single AUC bloc, are scheduled to
begin demobilizing in September, along with the remaining
other blocs. End Summary.

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Liberators of the South
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2. (U) On July 30, 676 members of the Liberators of the South
demobilized in a public ceremony in a recreation center in
Taminango municipality, Narino Department. The bloc turned
over 593 weapons total, including 419 rifles and 70 pistols.
This was the first of several groups that make up the BCB,
the single largest and most powerful paramilitary bloc left
to demobilize. The demobilization had been postponed several
times because the local community reacted with strong fear of
guerrilla attacks. The Security and Democracy Foundation, an
independent and well-respected think tank, has warned that
the FARC will likely try to retake valuable drug cultivation
and transportation areas lost to the AUC in 2000. The
Liberators of the South operated in prime drug trafficking
territory and was involved in trafficking off the Pacific
coast.

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Heroes De Granada
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3. (C) On August 1, 2,033 members of the AUC's Heroes of
Granada demobilized in San Roque, Antioquia Department
outside of Medellin. This was the largest bloc
demobilization ever. Emboffs observed the concentration and
registration phase prior to the ceremony, which was
military-like in its organization. All 2,033 paramilitaries
fulfilled the mandatory registration steps, including being
identified, photographed, fingerprinted, and entered into the
tracking and monitoring system. About two thirds of the
troops had operated in rural areas outside of Medellin and
appeared in uniform while the urban militia had operated in
the city of Medellin and appeared in civilian clothes. The
bloc turned over 1,123 weapons total, including 454 rifles
and five machine guns. GOC officials present during the
demobilization told emboffs the weapons were not nearly as
high-quality as weapons turned in by other blocs.


4. (C) Senior AUC commander Diego Murrillo ("Don Berna")
controlled the bloc and was present during the demobilization
under heavy government supervision. His arrival was cheered
and saluted by his troops. The open allegiance shown to him
suggests that the troops had not been recruited off the
streets of Medellin to pose as paramilitaries, as speculated
in the media. Berna and Peace Commissioner Restrepo
announced that the Heroes of Granada was Berna's last bloc to
demobilize and that he no longer had any paramilitaries under
his control. Earlier, Berna was said to be in control of the
still un-demobilized Pacific Bloc. Now, however, government
officials involved in demobilization report that the Pacific
Bloc was demobilized piecemeal by sending members to other
bloc demobilizations, such as the Liberators of the South.
What remains of the Pacific Bloc is not under Berna's
control, according to the government.
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Meta and Vichada
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5. (U) On August 6, approximately 200 members of the
Self-Defense Forces of Meta and Vichada demobilized on a
private farm in Puerto Gaitan municipality, Meta Department.
The bloc is part of several paramilitary groups operating in
the eastern plains, including the still active Centauros
Bloc, which splintered when its commander, Miguel Arroyave,
was killed last year.

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More To Come
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6. (C) Over 8,700 paramilitaries have demobilized
collectively since 2003. Several blocs still remain,
including the BCB. The BCB has between 5,000 to 6,000
members and had originally demanded numerous concentration
zones to demobilize all its units simultaneously. After
negotiating with the BCB commanders, the GOC now plans to
demobilize the bloc in three zones on three different dates.
Restrepo has repeatedly warned that the GOC will be hard
pressed to complete all the upcoming demobilizations before
the end of 2005 without additional resources for expanded
logistical needs.
WOOD