RECONCILIATION AND REPARATIONS CHIEF UPDATES

UNCLAS BOGOTA 002204

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: RECONCILIATION AND REPARATIONS CHIEF UPDATES
DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY ON PROGRESS

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) On March 6, Eduardo Pizarro, president of the
National Commission on Reparations and Reconciliation (CNRR),
provided the diplomatic community with a progress report
since its October launch. The CNRR was established by the
Justice and Peace Law to recommend criteria for victim
reparations and to ensure the victims were engaged in the
process. Many present acknowledged the CNRR,s work to date,
underscored the hard road that lay ahead, and offered some
thoughts on next steps. End Summary.

--------------
Learning Lessons At Home and Abroad
--------------


2. (U) Pizzaro launched the meeting with a review of lessons
learned from the Commission's study of other peace processes
in Colombia and abroad. He noted that the most successful
programs had a limited number of victims, and key political,
financial, and popular support. Pizarro emphasized the
importance of domestic financial resources, saying that
over-reliance on international donations would be a mistake.
He also acknowledged that reparation efforts without
international support have tended to fail.

--------------
Colombia's Situation
--------------


3. (SBU) Pizarro said Colombia is in a position to construct
and implement a successful reparations program. Colombia's
strong institutional capacity, excellent human and economic
resources, and stable society would aid in designing and
implementing a strong program. However, he cited the
large*and growing*number of victims and the ongoing
conflict as major challenges to the process. Pizarro also
reported that time-management and efficiency have been a
problem for the CNRR. In an effort to keep the CNRR working,
the Commission has developed a &dual-speed strategy8 to
allow it to tackle urgent issues, such as developing a
victims, database and a pilot regional program, while it
waits for the selection of the final two members of the
Commission. (The Commission selected its last two members
March 8. They are Patricia Helena Perdomo of the Fundacion
Pais Libre and Regulo Madero Fernandez of Corporacion
Nacion.)


5. (SBU) Pizarro thanked the international community for its
assistance, but highlighted the importance of not allowing
this support to supplant domestic funding. The GOC needed to
determine how to sustain the program itself. He acknowledged
the big responsibility the CNRR has with the international
financial support it is receiving. IOM has been tasked with
managing these funds to ensure optimal use.

--------------
CNRR Way Forward
--------------


6. (SBU) CNRR member Patricia Cespedes followed Pizarro,s
comments with a presentation on the CNRR,s preliminary work
plan. The CNRR has established an Executive Commission to
execute its decisions, which is divided into six work areas,
each charged with carrying out different legal requirements.
Commission members head committees on the work areas and will
supervise activities. The Commission expects to have a final
plan by July and will hold a seminar at the end of June to
present its three-year plan for each work area. In July, the
Commission will hold a closed-door session to make final
decisions on the plan and then release it to the public.

--------------
Ambassadors Chime In
--------------



7. (SBU) Ambassadors in attendance acknowledged the efforts
the CNRR had made thus far and the difficult road that lay
ahead. Ambassador Wood encouraged the Commission to take
concrete action in the near-term to ensure it maintained the
confidence and support of the Colombian people. He
encouraged the CNRR to increase its cooperation with the
Fiscalia, and suggested the CNRR take advantage of the
&version libre8 process to uncover illicit assets the
demobilized may possess to use as reparations for victims.
Wood said the publication of the government's list of
individuals eligible for the Justice and Peace Law would
likely accelerate the investigative process and provide
another opportunity to uncover illicit assets to use in
reparations. He noted that once the list is published, those
on it will be required to disclose their illicit assets, at
which time the GOC will have control over that property,
leaving it for reparations. Pizarro replied that the transfer
of property will be difficult because of challenges in
establishing legitimate ownership, but said Spain and Italy
are sending experts to help sort out these issues. Other
ambassadors recommended the Commission ensure the public
understands that the reparations process will be long and
difficult, to manage expectations.


8. (SBU) Some ambassadors emphasized the need for a realistic
reparations program and improved coordination with the
international community. Canadian Ambassador Matthew Levin
highlighted the importance of coordination between GOC
institutions throughout this process. Several others
recommended the CNRR keep its plan updated and hold another
session with the diplomatic community in July once the work
plan had been finalized.


9. (SBU) Others expressed concerns about defining the list of
victims and the placement of the displaced on that list.
Pizarro noted that the CNRR is legally obligated to address
the displaced, but that multiple government agencies will be
responsible for assisting them. He also explained that the
CNRR is working to provide reparations to communities, as
well as individuals. Pizarro said they are developing models
for this process, by which communities will decide what would
constitute an appropriate reparation, such as having

demobilized combatants rebuild destroyed structures.

WOOD