Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PARAMARIBO565
2007-10-26 18:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:  

DISPOSAL OF EXCESS WEAPONS

Tags:  MASS PREL NS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPO #0565/01 2991826
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261826Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9764
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000565 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JACQUELYN ROSHOLT
DEPT FOR PM/WRA - MICHAEL WILLIAMS, MARK
ADAMS AND SHO MORIMOTO
DEPT FOR WHA/PPC - MICHAEL BORDERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS PREL NS
SUBJECT: DISPOSAL OF EXCESS WEAPONS
STOCKPILES: DIPNOTE TO CONCLUDE PROJECT


UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000565

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JACQUELYN ROSHOLT
DEPT FOR PM/WRA - MICHAEL WILLIAMS, MARK
ADAMS AND SHO MORIMOTO
DEPT FOR WHA/PPC - MICHAEL BORDERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS PREL NS
SUBJECT: DISPOSAL OF EXCESS WEAPONS
STOCKPILES: DIPNOTE TO CONCLUDE PROJECT



1. (SBU) Summary. The U.S. government
provided assistance to the Government of
Suriname for the disposal of small arms,
light weapons and explosive materials
through a contract with the Ronco
Corporation. The contracted work was
completed by the Ronco Corporation on
October 22, 2007. Post plans to send a
DIPNOTE to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to inform the Government of Suriname of the
completion of the project and to advise them
of three outstanding issues related to the
project. This cable includes an action
request in paragraph 8. End Summary.


2. (SBU) The U.S. government assisted the
Government of Suriname in the disposal of
small arms, light weapons and explosive
materials. The purpose of this assistance
was to contribute to regional security and
counterterrorism efforts due to the
potential for misuse of excess weapons
stockpiles. The Ronco Corporation,
contracted for this project, completed work
on October 22, 2007.


3. (SBU) On October 23, 2007, RSO and Ronco
contractor visited the burn and demolition
sites and mapped the GPS locations. During
the visit, they found the sites to be
completely unsecured. While remnants of
items destroyed were found on the ground,
nothing appeared unexploded or dangerous.
(Note: GPS and photo documentation of this
visit will be forwarded to the Department:
WHA/CAR Suriname Desk by email and by
pouch.)


4. (SBU) The burn site had been dug into by
scavengers looking for brass and other items
to sell to scrap dealers. Near the burn
site, the RSO found a pile of several
hundred .50 Cal bullets that had been
unearthed. (Note: The local press has
reported that some locals were arrested
selling weapons parts that were later
discovered to have come from a disposal
project. The press article did not make any
reference to the U.S. government. The
contractor told us that he heard that the
scavenging was started by the soldiers
assigned to work with him in the demolition,
and that it is rumored that one soldier made
10,000 Surinamese Dollars (roughly 335 USD)
profit from selling the scrap metal. End

Note.) The burn site covered an area of
approximately 2.5 acres. The GPS
coordinates of the four corners of the site
were: +-05 degrees26/17.5,
055degrees13/23.2; +05degrees26/17.9, -
055degrees13/21.5; +05degrees26/14.0,-
055degrees13/21.7; +05degrees26/15.4,-
055degrees13/20.3.


5. (SBU) The demolition site did not appear
to have been disturbed. The demolition site
covered approximately 1.78 acres. The GPS
coordinates of the four corners of the site
were: +05degrees25/18.1,055degrees14/48.8;
+05degrees25/17.2,-055degrees14/47.6;
+05degrees25/15.4,-
055degrees14/49.4;+05degrees25/16.2,-
055degrees14/50.6.


6. (SBU) The following items were destroyed
by burning or demolition:

Rockets, Signal, Slap Flares: 791
90mm, HE, HEAT: 297
90mm, TPI: 1352
81mm Mortar, HE: 4000
2" Mortar, HE: 1781
57mm, HE, HEAT: 1693
75mm, HE: 58
Mines, AP, M-969: 154
37mm Rocket, HE: 1584
Hand Grenade, HE: 651

3.5 Bazooka, HE: 60
20mm, HE: 768
Cos por bomba: 2399
Cos por bomba, fuze: 1640
Trip flare: 1
Hand Grenade, MK1, Offensive: 31
Rocket Fuzes: 1584
Bomb Fuze, Aerial: 50
Hand Grenade, Incendiary: 1384
Seiamic Explosive (lbs): 550
Blasting caps, unserviceable: 10,000
Powergel (lbs): 800
Fireworks (cases): 807
Hand Grenade, CS: 21
Bomb Ignitors, WP: 30
90mm, WP, fixed: 190
2.75 Rocket, WP: 477
50 Cal. Ball: 724,740
Incendiary Powder (drums): 5
26.5 Flare Carts: 1200
37mm, HE: 40,000
Hand Grenade, Smoke: 2528
2" Mortar, Illumination: 342
303 Cal. Ball: 200,000
30 Cal. Blanks: 199,925


7. (SBU) At the completion of the project,
there are three issues Post should address
with the Government of Suriname: 1) the
securing of the site since people are
digging up the pits, 2) the Ministry of
Defense removal from the list of some items
scheduled for disposal, and 3) the need for
reimbursement to Ronco Corporation for
importation fees levied.


8. (SBU) Action Request. In order to
address the issues noted above in paragraph
7, Embassy requests Department cable
clearance on the following DIPNOTE text for
release to the Government of Suriname:

The Embassy of the United States of America
presents its compliments to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Suriname.
Endeavoring to contribute to the regional
security and counterterrorism efforts and
recognizing the potential for misuse of
excess weapons stockpiles around the world,
at the request of the Republic of Suriname,
the Embassy agreed to assist in the disposal
of Small Arms, Light Weapons and Explosive
Materials in Suriname, through a contract
with the Ronco Corporation. We are pleased
to inform you that the Ronco Corporation
project was completed on 22 October 2007.

During the course of the contracted
disposal, a total of 1, 201, 893 items were
disposed of by demolition or burning and
then buried in pits on Government of
Suriname property. We wish to advise the
Government of Suriname that the remnants of
the items remain hazardous materials and the
pits should not be reopened. We encourage
the Government of Suriname to secure the
site and remind the Government that the
Embassy of the United States of America is
not responsible for the safety or security
of the site.

Due to the potential for misuse of excess
weapons stockpiles, the Embassy also wishes
to inform the Ministry that the following
items were removed from the original
disposal list by the Ministry of Defense:

90mm, HE, HEAT (quantity: 458)
90mm, TPI (quantity: 102)
81mm Mortar, HE (quantity: 1000)
57mm, HE, HEAT (quantity: 40)
75mm, HE (quantity: 50)
2.75 Rocket, HE (quantity: 689)
40mm, HE (quantity: 18,000)
50 Cal. Ball (quantity: 2, 275,260)
Weapons (quantity: 1064)

The Embassy wishes to inform the Ministry
that the following items could not be
located for disposal:

20mm, HE (quantity: 4232)
26.5 Flare Carts (quantity: 718)

There were importation fees charged to the
contractor, Ronco Corporation, by the
Government of Suriname during the course of
this project; the Embassy requests these
fees be reimbursed.

The Embassy of the United States avails
itself of this opportunity to renew the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs the assurances
of its highest consideration.

Embassy of the United States of America
Paramaribo, Suriname, XX October 2007

SCHREIBER HUGHES