Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BOGOTA3620
2007-05-18 20:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW PROCESS BEGINS TO SHOW
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #3620 1382053 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 182053Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5548 INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7557 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 9006 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 5074 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0324 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5694 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3970 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEAWJC/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHOND/DIRONDCP WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
UNCLAS BOGOTA 003620
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW PROCESS BEGINS TO SHOW
RESULTS
-------
Summary
-------
UNCLAS BOGOTA 003620
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW PROCESS BEGINS TO SHOW
RESULTS
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and
Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told POLOFF on May 16
voluntary testimonies of ex-paramilitary leaders have so far
helped to identify the perpetrators of over 200 murders and
have been instrumental in helping the GOC create new
mechanisms to deal with victims--over 56,000 victims have
approached Justice and Peace prosecutors and investigators
with information. End summary.
--------------
JPL Process Revelations Unprecedented
--------------
2. (SBU) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and
Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told POLOFF on May 16 the
voluntary confessions of ex-paramilitary leaders has so far
identified the killers of over 200 victims, including those
of union workers and indigenous. Moreover, based on the
information obtained from the ex-paras and victims, the unit
has been able to conduct 91 exhumations, finding 704 bodies.
Of those, they have identified 42 and obtained preliminary
information on 188. Gonzalez said they have information on
22 additional mass graves around the country. He estimated
the sites could contain a further 3,000 bodies.
3. (SBU) In addition to information on individual homicides
and mass graves, ex-paramilitary leaders have revealed
information on kidnappings, disappearances, illegal financing
schemes, public corruption practices, money laundering, and
narcotics and arms trafficking activities. For example,
ex-paramilitary representative member Jose Baldomero Linares,
AKA "Guillermo Torres," revealed information about his
group's narcotrafficking activities and routes, which focused
primarily on the departments of Vichada and Meta.
Ex-paramilitary leader Francisco Javier Zuluaga, AKA "Gordo
Lindo," confessed to the exportation of 9,000 kilos of
cocaine and the trafficking of 3,000 arms coming from
Bulgaria in 1999.
4. (SBU) Since December 2006, when the first voluntary
testimony or "version libre" took place, the Justice and
Peace Law (JPL) unit has questioned 22 people as part of the
JPL version libre process, of which six were paramilitary
leaders. In the next two months, the JPL unit is scheduled
to take testimony from another 22 ex-paras. Gonzalez said
with U.S. help, the Fiscalia is building an information
system capable of doing link analysis to decipher all the
information it is receiving.
-------------- -
Creating Mechanisms for Victims' Participation
-------------- -
5. (SBU) Gonzalez said the JPL process has also been
instrumental in helping the GOC create new mechanisms to help
victims use the justice system. Thus far, the JPL has met
with over 56,000 victims. Gonzalez cited the victims'
willingness to come forward as a sign of growing confidence
in the government and of a greater sense of security. He
warned, however, there were still areas of the country where
people are afraid to talk. The JPL unit is trying to reach
out to remote communities where State presence remains weak.
For those harder-to-reach areas, they are promoting the JPL
unit's 24/7 toll free number for victims.
Drucker
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW PROCESS BEGINS TO SHOW
RESULTS
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and
Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told POLOFF on May 16
voluntary testimonies of ex-paramilitary leaders have so far
helped to identify the perpetrators of over 200 murders and
have been instrumental in helping the GOC create new
mechanisms to deal with victims--over 56,000 victims have
approached Justice and Peace prosecutors and investigators
with information. End summary.
--------------
JPL Process Revelations Unprecedented
--------------
2. (SBU) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and
Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told POLOFF on May 16 the
voluntary confessions of ex-paramilitary leaders has so far
identified the killers of over 200 victims, including those
of union workers and indigenous. Moreover, based on the
information obtained from the ex-paras and victims, the unit
has been able to conduct 91 exhumations, finding 704 bodies.
Of those, they have identified 42 and obtained preliminary
information on 188. Gonzalez said they have information on
22 additional mass graves around the country. He estimated
the sites could contain a further 3,000 bodies.
3. (SBU) In addition to information on individual homicides
and mass graves, ex-paramilitary leaders have revealed
information on kidnappings, disappearances, illegal financing
schemes, public corruption practices, money laundering, and
narcotics and arms trafficking activities. For example,
ex-paramilitary representative member Jose Baldomero Linares,
AKA "Guillermo Torres," revealed information about his
group's narcotrafficking activities and routes, which focused
primarily on the departments of Vichada and Meta.
Ex-paramilitary leader Francisco Javier Zuluaga, AKA "Gordo
Lindo," confessed to the exportation of 9,000 kilos of
cocaine and the trafficking of 3,000 arms coming from
Bulgaria in 1999.
4. (SBU) Since December 2006, when the first voluntary
testimony or "version libre" took place, the Justice and
Peace Law (JPL) unit has questioned 22 people as part of the
JPL version libre process, of which six were paramilitary
leaders. In the next two months, the JPL unit is scheduled
to take testimony from another 22 ex-paras. Gonzalez said
with U.S. help, the Fiscalia is building an information
system capable of doing link analysis to decipher all the
information it is receiving.
-------------- -
Creating Mechanisms for Victims' Participation
-------------- -
5. (SBU) Gonzalez said the JPL process has also been
instrumental in helping the GOC create new mechanisms to help
victims use the justice system. Thus far, the JPL has met
with over 56,000 victims. Gonzalez cited the victims'
willingness to come forward as a sign of growing confidence
in the government and of a greater sense of security. He
warned, however, there were still areas of the country where
people are afraid to talk. The JPL unit is trying to reach
out to remote communities where State presence remains weak.
For those harder-to-reach areas, they are promoting the JPL
unit's 24/7 toll free number for victims.
Drucker