NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND REPARATIONS COMMISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 005807

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2016
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND REPARATIONS COMMISSION
MEETS AUC LEADERS, REPORT ON ADVANCES


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

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) National Reconciliation and Reparations Commission
(CNRR) representatives met for the first time with
paramilitary leaders on June 21 to begin discussions about
reparations and reconciliation. The CNRR will follow the
Justice and Peace Law and international humanitarian law to
define victims. The Commission plans to present its first
report in July, in which it will publish its position on
reparations, reconciliation, demobilization, and
reincorporation. End summary.

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CNRR AND AUC LEADERS TO WORK TOGETHER
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2. (C) AUC leaders met for the first time with CNRR
representatives on June 21 to begin discussions about
reparations and reconciliation. According to USAID-hired
CNRR Guatemalan reparations consultant Alex Segovia, who
attended the meeting, AUC leaders agreed to begin formal
discussions on July 10. AUC leaders also emphasized that
they "will not turn their backs on the peace process" and
they will accept the Constitutional Court's formal opinion on
the Justice and Peace Law, even though they disagreed with
some of the Court's earlier pronouncements on the Law. AUC
leaders told the CNRR representatives their intention was to
establish their own gathering place and headquarters for
contacts with civil society, similar to the ELN's House of
Peace. Their &Villa de la Esperanza,8 or "House of Hope,"
will be located to the north of Medellin in the Municipality
of Copacabana.


3. (C) AUC leaders emphasized they are not rearming and that
the groups referenced in the MAPP/OAS Sixth Quarterly Report
and the media are criminal organizations, and as such, should
be pursued by law enforcement. According to Segovia, AUC
leaders said they were concerned that the State was incapable
of reclaiming territories left by the paramilitaries.
Moreover, they warned that about 4,500 middle ranking
officers who are unemployed and can easily resort to illegal
activities need special attention since they will not be
satisfied with the government's minimum wage stipend.
Segovia explained that in El Salvador specific programs were
designed for demobilized middle ranking officers, which
proved successful.

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CNRR REACHING CONSENSUS IN KEY AREAS
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4. (C) Segovia explained that the CNRR will abide by the
Justice and Peace Law and international humanitarian law to
define victims eligible for reparations. The Commission has
decided that reparations should include symbolic, collective,
and individual compensation. Although all victims would be
recognized, not all will qualify for reparations. Individual
reparations will be limited. The CNRR agreed to give equal
importance to reparations and reconciliation. Furthermore,
as a medium-term goal, Commission representatives would like
to create a "National Reparations Plan" that could possibly
be converted into public policy to set the basis for
reparations.


5. (C) CNRR representatives understand that writing reports
and monitoring should be a priority for the Commission. The
Commission plans to present its first report in July, which
will establish its position on reparations, reconciliation,
demobilization, and reincorporation. Follow-up reports would
be generated every semester. For these reports, the CNRR
will gather information produced by the international
community, NGOs, the GOC, as well as victims and regional

authorities. To avoid giving the responsibility to one
person to write the Commission's report on the birth of
illegal armed groups, which is part of its mandate, the CNRR
will form a committee of Colombian and international experts
to work on this project. Furthermore, the Commission plans
to design a tracking and monitoring system that will feed off
existing processes (SAME, Procuraduria, Fiscalia, Defensoria,
and Accion Social).


6. (C) The Commission,s organizational structure will be
technical in nature and it will consist of an Executive
Director, who will oversee three areas: (1) reparations and
attention to victims; (2) monitoring, evaluation and public
reports; and (3) reconciliation. Each area will be headed by
a different person (seperate from the commissioners and their
advisors) to avoid turf battles and promote consensus. The
Commission will create a group of three high level advisors
who will be in charge of strategic analysis. Additionally,
Segovia said that Organization for International Migration
Mission (IOM),the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
and three commissioners will work on a report that will
identify existing information, problems, bottlenecks, and
general guidelines for the Commission.


7. (C) Commissioner Representatives Monseor Nel Beltran and
Gustavo Villegas are working on a proposal on how regional
commissions will function. Segovia suggested that the
Commission should develop a set of uniform guidelines and
procedures to guide its work in the regions. Following
regional field visits in Medellin and Sincelejo, the
Commissioners concluded that victims will only participate if
their security is guaranteed; regional commissions must
provide judicial counseling for victims on how to file and
follow-up on claims. Commissioners warned that participation
will not be the same in every region. For example, in
Sincelejo, the social fabric is fragmented, though they are
starting to come together to work with the CNRR. Moreover,
Segovia said that as determined by the law, regional asset
recovery commissions will be created; Medellin and Sincelejo
will be pilot programs.

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CNRR FINANCIAL AND OTHER CONCERNS
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8. (C) Segovia warned that certain things need to be funded
right away (such as staff) but donor resources will be slow
in coming. The GOC budget is insufficient. The CNRR needs
to work with an expert on public finances to include CNRR
expenses in the national budget. Moreover, the GOC has not
been present at most meetings; they usually send a technical
level person without decision-making power and Commission
members are concerned that the GOC may later veto CNRR
decisions. Therefore, the CNRR is considering making
decisions binding regardless of whether the GOC is present.
Another concern is that the current group of advisors (14)
should work as one group for all the commissioners.

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BIO NOTE: ALEX SEGOVIA
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9. (SBU) Dr. Alexander Segovia is an expert in reparations.
He most recently served as facilitator between the Truth
Commission in Peru and victims groups. He has also served as
a consultant for the United Nations Verification Mission in
Guatemala, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean, the Inter-American Development Bank, and several
Central American governments.
WOOD