DEMOBILIZED REINTEGRATION PROGRAM GETS MAKEOVER,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003090

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2018
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: DEMOBILIZED REINTEGRATION PROGRAM GETS MAKEOVER,
FACES NEW CHALLENGES

REF: BOGOTA 001

Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer.
Reason: 1.4 (b,d)

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Summary
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1. (SBU) The High Commissioner for Reintegration Office (ACR)
has assisted 37,137 demobilized (29,776 collective and 7361
individual),but is revising its focus to respond to new
challenges. ACR lifted its 18-24 month limit on program
participation, and has conditioned receipt of benefits on
participation in its programs. The ACR is also reviewing
criteria for participation to ensure that demobilized
"properly graduate" the program instead of prematurely being
ejected. More resources are being dedicated to psychosocial
services, community outreach, education, and improving their
prospects for long-term employment. The ACR is working with
the Colombian National Police (CNP) to monitor crimes against
demobilized. It is also trying to locate 3000 individual
deserters and 1864 paramilitaries who did not enter the
reintegration program. End Summary.

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Where We Are with Reintegration
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2. (SBU) The High Commissioner for Reintegration Office
(ACR) has assisted 37,137 demobilized (29,774 collective and
7361 individual),but is revising its policies and
interagency coordination to better deal with emerging
challenges. Of the 37,137 demobilized, 80% are former
paramilitaries and 20% are individual deserters from the
FARC, ELN, and other terrorist groups. ACR officials told us
they have committed $38 million on reintegration programs
since October 2007 and will maintain its "equal treatment"
policy for all demobilized groups. This year, ACR conditioned
receipt of benefits on participation in psychosocial
programs. Demobilized receive approximately $80-$213 monthly
with a transportation stipend of $42-58 as long as they
complete 80% of psychosocial programs, 60% of education
programs, and 80% of vocational preparation classes.


3. (SBU) ACR Commissioner Frank Pearl told us his team is
also developing criteria to ensure that demobilized "properly
graduate" the reintegration process. Many who prematurely
depart the program face unemployment and discrimination,
leading them to join new criminal bands or return to other
criminal activity. Excluding those killed or jailed, some
3000 individual deserters and 1864 former paramilitaries did
not enter the program and their whereabouts are unknown.
Pearl said locating these individuals will be a key ACR goal.
The Inspector General's office (Procuraduria) is also due to
present a study funded by USAID and the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) that will measure the degree
of participants' progress in reintegration, looking at
factors such as literacy, civic participation, and progress
in psycho-social programs, in five departments.

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Raising Psycho Social Assistance, Community Involvement
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4. (SBU) ACR adviser Luis Cepeda told us the reintegration
program is shifting more resources towards psychosocial
services, education, and long term capacity-building for job
creation. At the end of 2007, 3800 demobilized had
participated in psychosocial sessions; by April 2008, that
figure had risen to 32,000. Pearl emphasized that
psychosocial services must be tailored to individual needs
without creating dependency. ACR Teams are modifying
psychological services to ensure they go beyond monitoring
the demobilized. Pearl said the ACR is also setting up more
community reintegration service centers to improve access for
the demobilized and their families.


5. (U) Better coordination with communities and
municipalities is another core shift in ACR programs. ACR
already has worked with 15 municipalities and 11 departments
to incorporate demobilization programs into their development
plans; programs with an additional 80 municipalities are in
the works. By engaging victims and marginalized groups in

receptor communities, ACR hopes to implement measures to
reduce discrimination and resentment. It has already worked
with local civic groups and universities in 35 receptor
communities to promote reconciliation.


6. (U) Another important element of ACR's renewed efforts is
expanded outreach to the private sector to generate jobs for
demobilized. Since 2007, 652 companies have offered 3895 jobs
to demobilized, but demand remains much greater than the
number of jobs offered. Colgalletas cookie factory in
Medellin has hired 50 employees, and palm and cacao
processing factories in Norte de Santander and Meta plan to
hire over 300 demobilized. ACR has itself financed 202
business proposals by 865 demobilized in the past year. From
2002-April 2008, the GOC Reintegration Program spent $22
million on self employment projects for demobilized, creating
7788 jobs. Moreover, work on the Social Investment Fund has
progressed with private sector support to encourage and
support projects and agri-businesses that employ demobilized.

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Bogota Initiatives Complement ACR
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7. (SBU) Dario Villamizar of the Bogota Mayor's office said
the city included a "peace, reconstruction, and
reconciliation component" in this year's city development
plan, devoting resources to the 4500 demobilized who live in
Bogota as well as vulnerable communities. In addition, 300
demobilized are on the city's payroll. The city's plans
complement the ACR's programs--with European Union and IOM
funding--and follow the Medellin model of responding to local
needs. Pearl and Mayor Moreno have met three times this year
to coordinate needs and responses. Villamizar explained that
in Bogota, 97% of demobilized come from other cities. 85% are
former FARC, and 85% have only a third grade level education.
Thus, demands for housing, humanitarian aid, education, and
jobs remain high.

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Security Challenges Still
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8. (C) Cepeda voiced concerns over recruitment of
demobilized by narcotrafficking groups and criminal bands,
particularly in Cordoba and the Uraba region of Antioquia.
He said 6% of demobilized have been killed or removed from
the program for committing crimes. MAPP/OAS officials told us
870 demobilized have been killed, with few leads on
investigations. They fear threats and forced recruitment by
criminal bands will undermine the reintegration effort. In
Bogota, Villamizar told us there were 13 murders of
demobilized last year, with five so far this year. In
Medellin, 180 former paramilitaries have been killed. Cepeda
said a separate protection program for demobilized does not
exist, but added that local CNP and Human Rights Ombudsman
(Defensoria) offices respond to threat complaints. A police
directive of February 22, 2008 pledged stronger coordination
among the ACR and CNP to monitor crimes against demobilized.
BROWNFIELD