NAS MONTHLY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2008

UNCLAS BOGOTA 004248 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR INL/LP AND INL/RM DEPT FOR WHA/AND E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR SENV KCRM PTER CO SUBJECT: NAS MONTHLY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2008 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Even with poor weather conditions negatively affecting the total hectares sprayed, the contractor remains above the projection line for the year. Total manual coca eradication for the month of October was 11,683 hectares - bringing the GME program's year-to-date total to 68,608 hectares, running short of a projected goal for the year of 100,000 hectares. The Colombian National Police and the Junglas had an outstanding month, seizing much valuable materiel and capturing important targets. The Junglas aided in the rescue of Senator Oscar Tulio Lizcano on October 19 (originally kidnapped by the FARC in August 2000),and then conducted search and destroy missions against Mr. Tulio Lizcano's FARC captors. The numbers of demobilized guerrilla members continue to increase; mid-level leadership demobilization has doubled from the same time period in 2007. So far this year, 50 hostile fire incidents occurred, resulting in 99 impacts. Air assaults continued to be an effective means of increasing security for aerial eradication spray operations and counternarcotics interdiction operations; however, FARC actions continued to inflict casualties. Through October, 25 people have died during this year's manual eradication operations, surpassing the sixteen killed during the entire 2007 campaign. END SUMMARY. -------------- AERIAL ERADICATION PROGRAM -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Total hectares sprayed for the month of October were 7,156, a significant drop from previous months, due to extremely poor weather conditions. The CONDOR team, based in Larandia, sprayed 3,570 hectares; the LOBO team in Tumaco sprayed 2,105 hectares; and the RAPTOR team in San Jose sprayed 1,481 hectares. This brings the calendar year total to 120,828 hectares of coca sprayed. Eradication aircraft were involved in one hostile fire incident in October resulting in zero impacts. This brings the total for the year to 50 hostile fire incidents, resulting in 99 impacts. ¶3. (SBU) Weather began to improve in Larandia and Tumaco toward the latter part of October, and this trend is expected to continue. The Raptor team at San Jose is beginning to encounter better weather, however, the Meta Exclusion Area (PCIM in its Spanish acronym) continues to limit overall aerial spray in the region. Although initial DIRAN estimates determined that approximately 5,000 hectares of coca were present in the area, subsequent collection of the area by the contractor C-208 Caravan Reconnaissance & Analysis team bring the estimates significantly higher, with 8,000 to 10,000 hectares being a more realistic prognosis. ¶4. (SBU) The contractor currently remains above the projection line toward the calendar year spray goal of 130,000 hectares. -------------- MANUAL ERADICATION PROGRAM -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Phase IV of the GOC's 2008 manual eradication campaign (GME program) kicked off on October 1 and will run through mid-December. Total coca eradication for the month of October was 11,683 hectares - bringing the GME program's year-to-date total to 68,608 hectares. Including eradication carried out by the Colombian security forces, total coca eradication through October totaled 78,967 hectares. To increase the pace of eradication and reach the GOC's manual eradication goal of 100,000 hectares, the GOC planned to ramp up the number of GMEs in the field during Phase IV. Due to limitations of security personnel, the GOC has been able to maintain approximately 220 GMEs in the field during the month of October, short of its goal of 250 GMEs. Manual eradication operations are ongoing in 11 departments with the majority of GMEs in the traditional coca growing regions of Putumayo, Antioquia, Vichada, Meta and Narino. To assist manual eradication efforts in Meta, NAS provided imagery of coca cultivation in the area off-limits to spray in the Macarena Consolidation Program. The Meta imagery is an addition to the gyrocam video provided to the GOC in September to assist manual eradication efforts along the Ecuador border. In October, one landmine incident in Meta injured 10 eradicators, seriously injuring three. In two separate incidents in Norte de Santander, one security personnel was killed and three eradicators wounded by sniper fire. Through October, 25 people (12 civilians and 13 security personnel) have died during this year's manual eradication operations, surpassing the sixteen killed during the entire 2007 campaign. ¶6. (SBU) Separate from the GME program, the Colombian Army (COLAR) and the Colombian National Police (CNP) conducted manual eradication as part of their normal operations. Through the end of October, COLAR had eradicated 9,277 hectares of coca, 230 hectares of poppy, and 11 hectares of marijuana, and the CNP has eradicated 1,084 hectares of coca, 119 hectares of poppy, and 12 hectares of marijuana. -------------- PLAN COLOMBIA HELICOPTER PROGRAM (PCHP) -------------- ¶7. (SBU) PCHP aircraft flew a total of 780 hours in October. PCHP Aircraft operated from Tumaco, San Jose, Larandia, and Tolemaida. PCHP aircraft provided air assaults, air movements, reconnaissance, medical evacuations, and support missions for the Counterdrug (CD) Brigade and other vetted COLAR units. Air assaults continued to be an effective means of increasing security for aerial eradication spray operations and counternarcotics interdiction operations conducted by Counternarcotics Battalion (BACNA in its Spanish acronym) units of the CD Brigade. PCHP flew 58.5 hours supporting 16 medical evacuation flights that transported 48 patients. The majority of the wounded were from encounters with FARC mine fields which continue to take heavy tolls on deployed troops. ¶8. (SBU) Aircrew continuation/mission training and aircraft qualification training were conducted throughout the month in both the UH-60 and UH-II. Four Colombian Army (COLAR) pilots were qualified as Pilot in Command and three new pilots completed UH-II aircraft qualification training. ¶9. (SBU) A BRIM-19 base approximately 40 miles from Tumaco was attacked by a FARC element and sustained significant casualties - eight dead and an unknown number wounded. PCHP aircraft responded with MEDEVAC airlift and additional security forces to reinforce the garrison. ¶10. (SBU) PCHP continues to provide aircraft to augment a Chief of Mission authorized High Value Target (HVT) Joint Task Force air assault operation employing troops from BAFER. This HVT mission is still in progress. ¶11. (SBU) NAS Peru had two Peruvian Police officers attending flight training at the Joint Initial Entry Rotary Wing School in Melgar. One of the police officers was given a total of three progress evaluations and two additional blocks of flight training periods but was unable to demonstrate acceptable proficiency to continue in the course. ¶12. (SBU) PCHP provided five aircraft in support of Undersecretary James Glassman's delegation. Transportation was provided between Villavicencio and Vista Hermosa. ¶13. (SBU) On October 2, PCHP provided seven aircraft in support of an aerial spray demonstration for Andean Office Director Kevin Whitaker's visit to San Jose. -------------- COLOMBIA NATIONAL POLICE (CNP) AIR SERVICE (ARAVI) SUPPORT -------------- ¶14. (SBU) ARAVI's NAS-supported fleet flew 1585 mission hours in October. The seven UH-60 Black Hawks closed out the month with 223 flight hours and an Operational Readiness (OR) rate of 86 percent. ¶15. (SBU) The Bell 212 fleet flew 187 mission hours with an OR rate of 66 percent. 2 Bell 212's have yet to be inducted to the Service Life Extension Program/Rewire. The Huey II OR rate was 61 percent while flying 751 hours. After additional personnel was assigned, two Huey IIs have been repaired, reassembled and are operational, although two other Huey IIs, or 6 percent of the fleet, are waiting for depot maintenance for structural repairs. ¶16. (SBU) The DC-3 fleet flew 275 hours in October, with an OR rate of 49 percent. ARAVI received an additional C-26 Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Aerial Platform (ISRAP),and awaits delivery of a second C-26 ISRAP in December. -------------- INTERDICTION -------------- ¶17. (SBU) The Colombian National Police (CNP) had a tremendously successful month, seizing 17.7 metric tons of cocaine hydrochloride (HCl) and cocaine base, 30.26 metric tons of marijuana, and 85 kilograms (kgs) of heroin. The CNP also destroyed 15 cocaine HCl labs, 160 coca base labs, and captured 895 metric tons of precursor chemicals. ¶18. (SBU) The Bogota Junglas (Colombian Antinarcotics Police Airmobile Commandos) assisted the DIRAN (National Police Antinarcotics Division in its Spanish acronym)Asset Forfeiture Group in Western Boyaca (October 1-4),seizing eight different major properties. The Bogota Junglas (40 Junglas, 2 x UH60s) deployed to Mariquita (October 9) and hit an HCl lab near Puerto Salgar, seizing 500 kgs of coca base. On October 9, the DIRAN Southern Zone hit an HCl lab in Putumayo, capturing 650 kgs of cocaine. The DIRAN Neiva Company set up a series of road checkpoints in Huila Department, intercepting three vehicles and capturing respectively three kgs, two kgs, and 200 grams of cocaine. On October 15-16 in San Jose de Guaviare, the Bogota Junglas (45 x Junglas, 2 x UH60s) hit two HCl labs - one in Tomachipan and the second in Mapiripan. The DIRAN Manual Eradication Group hit a cocaine HCl lab located seven kilometers outside the Caucasia airport (October 10). An alert Bell 212 pilot spotted suspicious activity as he made his routine approach into Caucasia airport and DIRAN mounted an operation against the target, achieving total surprise and arresting several lab workers. The DIRAN Company in Neiva (29 men) captured 1.5 tons of coca base hidden in a cache site outside of Garzon, Huila. On October 17, the DIRAN Neiva Company stopped a public bus at their routine road interdiction checkpoint outside of Neiva and arrested a woman smuggling coca base in the soles of her shoes. After the woman initially complained of stomach pains, the Junglas escorted her to the tree line and she "passed" 30 capsules filled with coca base. Lately, the number of people caught smuggling coca base in the soles of their shoes in the Neiva area has increased significantly. The Tulua Junglas (2 x UH60s, 40 Junglas) deployed to Tumaco (October 19-24) and hit three HCl labs and eight base labs containing over 2.7 tons of cocaine/coca base. The Bogota Junglas (2 x UH60s, 30 Junglas) deployed to Cumaribo, Vichada (October 18-21) and destroyed two HCl labs. The Santa Marta Junglas deployed to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to manually eradicate 15 hectares of marijuana (October 21-24). On October 18, the Bogota Junglas moved by road to Chicoral, Tolima and uncovered a false "cocaine" cache containing 5400 perfectly wrapped "kilo" blocks of wood. On October 24, the DIRAN Ipiales Company moved by road to the outskirts of Pasto and uncovered a cache containing 17 kgs of heroin. ¶19. (SBU) The Bogot Junglas (45 Junglas, 2 x UH60s) deployed to Armenia on October 17 to establish a Joint Task Force with the Colombian Air Force and the Army Special Forces Brigade to rescue Senator Oscar Tulio Lizcano (kidnapped by FARC since August 2000). The Junglas formed combined patrols with the Army. Following the rescue of Oscar (October 19) in Canon de Garrapatas (Choco Department),the Junglas conducted search and destroy missions against Oscar's FARC captors. The Santa Marta Junglas responded to DIRAN Uraba Company's intelligence information and on October 27 captured 1.08 metric tons of cocaine hidden in a tractor trailer truck in Turbo, Antioquia. The U.S. Army Special Forces team deployed to Santa Marta and conducted five days of Close Quarters Combat training for 60 Junglas. This same instruction will be taught at Facatativa and Tulua in November. -------------- MARITIME INTERDICTION -------------- ¶20. (SBU) Gonzalez and Castellanos conducted first school board with GRUIN and DEA; unit members were selected for four courses in the United States. ¶21. (SBU) The GRUIN conducted three missions in October. The first mission was a night infiltration up the river Atrato where the unit was able to locate three hidden go-fast boats and 275 gallons of fuel, which were all destroyed. The three go-fast boats were prepositioned while they waited to be loaded with cocaine. The second mission was against a command and control center in the vicinity of Turbo, believed to have belonged to Don Mario. The unit found eight tactical radios, one cellular phone, one generator, two car batteries and billeting for 30 men. The billeting was destroyed and equipment was taken as evidence. The third mission was a joint US/COLNAV (Colombian Navy) mission, in which the Naval Intelligence Group (GRUIN in its Spanish acronym) passed actionable signal intelligence to Joint Interagency Task Force in Key West (JIATF-S), where JIATF-S assets were able to seize 850 kgs of marijuana, one go-fast boat, and capture three suspects. The signal intelligence intercepts will be used to assist in the prosecution of the crew in Miami. -------------- WEAPONS -------------- ¶23. (SBU) During the month of October, one million of 5.56mm rounds arrived in Colombia in direct support of Jungla operations. In addition, Seventh Group Special Forces conducted training for 40 Junglas in Santa Marta, in such specialties as night shooting with Night Vision Devices (NVDs),and zeroing in on new ACOG (long-distance) sites. ¶24. (SBU) Weapon inventories and facility inspections were conducted in Tumaco. Discrepancies were identified and reported to CNP and NAS for corrective action. Discrepancies included improving a proper storage facility for weapons and NVDs. For example, pistols were stored in a cabinet drawer and NVDs were stored on a shelf above the pistol drawer. The CNP are in the process of planning corrective actions for the Tumaco facility. -------------- BASE SECURITY/ROAD INTERDICTION -------------- ¶25. (SBU) The coordination for the next one-month Base Defense course to be conducted in Tumaco continued with a site survey and coordination with local DIRAN and COLMIL officials. The start date has been scheduled for November 17 and 40 students are being vetted for attendance. ¶26. (SBU) The IDIQ (indefinite amount/indefinite quantities) project proposals at Cerro Cruz Verde, San Jose de Guaviare, and Mapiripan were bid and award of contracts has been decided. Final approval from a contracting officer in Washington, D.C. is pending in order to start the project. ¶27. (SBU) The close-out project at Puerto Estrella continued with a site visit and final determination of the requirements. Potential contractors are developing proposals and they traveled to survey the site. ¶28. (SBU) The test equipment for the GRUIN NVD lab arrived and is currently being nationalized in preparation for a final presentation to the unit. The 30 NVDs on order are the only elements still due in to complete the NVD lab renovation project. ¶29. (SBU) NAS interdiction advisor, John Hincapie, completed inspections and conducted required maintenance on NVDs at El Dorado, Tulua, Facatativa and Espinal. A total of 47 NVDs were serviced and made mission-capable. -------------- COMMUNICATIONS -------------- ¶30. (SBU) DIRAN data section has created a DIRAN Domain (a domain is network security model for grouping computers together which share a common directory database) where users can access a shared drive and restrictive permissions can be added to the network. ¶31. (SBU) DIRAN's radio section sent a repair team to San Jose de Guaviare where they repaired a Motorola repeater, installed a UHF radio base station donated by Comando General, and performed preventive maintenance on all portable radios. In addition, the same team displaced to El Cerro del Tigre, Meta, where the team repaired another broken Motorola repeater. This fixed repeater provides reliable communications to Villavicencio and San Jose de Guaviare. ¶32. (SBU) DIRAN's radio section programmed and performed operational checks on eighty new Motorola XTS 5000, which will be donated to the three Jungla Companies. -------------- PORT SECURITY PROGRAM (PSP) -------------- ¶33. (SBU) In October, DIRAN's Ports and Airports Area (ARPAE) unit seized 370 kgs of cocaine at the Port of Cartagena; 370 kgs of cocaine at the Port of Santa Marta; and the unit at the port of Barranquilla participated in a joint operation led by the Judicial Police Directorate (DIJIN in its Spanish acronym),where 10.5 metric tons of cocaine were seized. In Bogota's airport, 94 kgs of cocaine, 10.7 kgs of heroin, and 12.8 kgs of marijuana were seized; in Cali's airport - 5.2 kgs of cocaine were seized; and in Rionegro's airport, 300 grams of cocaine were confiscated. K-9 units' participation was key in various cases, specifically K-9 units were responsible for the seizure of 335 kgs of cocaine at the Port of Cartagena and 18 kgs of cocaine in Bogota's airport. K-9 units also supported a DIJIN operation near Bogota's airport, where 9.8 kgs of heroin were seized. A new K-9 antidrug course finished at the CNP Academy and now the PSP has 22 more dogs. ¶34. (SBU) The DIRAN's polygraph unit conducted polygraph exams on 124 members of the DIRAN's Eradication, Interdiction, Administrative, Aviation and Ports and Airports units and supported the Internal Control Group activities on specific cases. 91 of those tested passed the exam, 27 failed it, and six results were inconclusive. -------------- COLOMBIAN ARMY COUNTERDRUG (CD) BRIGADE -------------- ¶35. The First BACNA remains in Putumayo supporting manual eradication. The Second BACNA continues to support aerial eradication in San Jose de Guaviare; Long Range Surveillance Division (LRSD) and Alpha (A) Company conducted an air assault against FARC's Seventh Front. The Third BACNA continues to support aerial eradication in Tumaco. The First BACNA located and destroyed two coca paste labs in Putumayo, and the Third BACNA located and destroyed one coca lab and two HCl labs in Narino. -------------- -------------- REESTABLISH POLICE PRESENCE PROGRAM (CARABINEROS) -------------- -------------- ¶36. (SBU) Carabineros squadrons continue to conduct manual eradication in Vichada, Putumayo, Nario and Meta Departments, a total of 34 squadrons are involved. The Don Mario Search Block, with 3 squadrons, are conducting operations in Uraba, Choco, Antioquia and Cordoba Departments. Other squadrons continue their normal missions of rural security and security along the major lines of communications. In October a emerging criminal bands member in Uraba turned himself in and stated that the increased police presence was putting pressure on the group. ¶37. (SBU) The Rural Commando Operations School (COR) currently has 1100 students in the basic course, and will start the demining and designated marksmanship courses in November. ¶38. (SBU) Results for October were; Captures, 93 (19 narcos, 12 FARC/ELN, 2 BACRIM and 60 common criminals),Seizures 121 weapons, 8291 galllons of liquid precursors, 1719 kilograms of solid precursors, 85 kilograms of cocaine, 5898 kilograms of marijuana, 30 vehicles, and deactivated 9 improvised explosive devices. -------------- INDIVIDUAL DEMOBILIZATION PROGRAM -------------- ¶39. (SBU) The Ministry of Defense's demobilization program received 391 deserters in October, a new record for a single month, totaling 2,994 individuals so far this year. If the current demobilization rate persists for November and December, demobilization rates for 2008 will surpass the 2007 record year when 3,192 demobilized by approximately 500 individuals. The quality of demobilization continues to improve with mid-level leadership demobilization doubling, and an increase of 17 percent in demobilization of experienced combatants as compared to the same period in 2007. The most common motivations for desertion from the illegal groups are poor quality of life, physical abuse by their commanders, and military pressure. Incidences of demobilization due to military pressure has increased significantly since 2007. This "carrot and stick" approach is reaping great rewards for the Colombian Ministry of Defense (MOD). ¶40. (SBU) The fourth major demobilization promotion event "Chevere-Fiesta" took place in Southeastern Colombia on October 30. Thousands of residents from San Jose del Guaviare and surrounding locales joined senior military commanders to promote demobilization. The event included a concert with typical music from the Colombian plains (Musica Llanera in Spanish),a children's parade for peace, and a special appearance by Colombian soccer star Carlos "El Pibe" Valderama. El Pibe played soccer with children from the area and encouraged them to fight for peace. -------------- AIR BRIDGE DENIAL -------------- ¶41. (SBU) There were 6262 tracks over Colombia, of which seven were declared Unknown Assumed Suspect. Host nation responded to all seven. Three were overwater and were visually identified with the information passed to neighboring nations. One was impounded after landing at Magangue, Bolivar Department, but no illegal items were found. One boat was impounded after coordination with the Colombian Navy and 755 kgs of cocaine were impounded along with the boat. -------------- ENVIRONMENTAL -------------- ¶42. (SBU) In October, the interagency complaints committee received 65 new claims of alleged spray damage to legal crops. NAS initialized a payment to one complainant totaling 32,468,500 COP (approximately 13,983 USD) and will conclude this payment in November. As of October 31, 114 people were compensated totaling 1,077,000,257 COP (approximately 461,000 USD). The transfer of fuel payment responsibilities from the USG to the GOC has not caused any significant delays in complaint verification visits. During October, 85 sites were visited in the departments of Guaviare, Meta, Nario, and Putumayo. ¶43. (SBU) The 18 verification mission field component occurred between September 19-26 in the departments of Antioquia and Nario; Gyrocam images were taken of the remaining departments. The verification team began analyzing these images, and upon completion will draft a report explaining the findings of the mission. -------------- ADMINISTRATION -------------- ¶44. (SBU) Face sheets of the funds received by the end of FY 08 for the amount of $13,609,924 were signed by the Ministry of Defense. With the signature of this last group of documents all funds received at post are legalized according to INL policy. ¶45. (SBU) NAS Warehouse received 255 Kodiak Trucks for CNP Carabineros; Ambassador Brownfield visited the warehouse. NAS Customs received one C-26 and is preparing to export one Cessna Caravan that belongs to CNP Aravi. NAS Audit team increased co-workers knowledge of NAS programs by arranging ARAVI-supported site visits to Guaymaral. -------------- DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION (DDR) -------------- ¶46. (SBU) The fieldwork for the National Household Drug Survey began. The National Consulting Center (CNC in its Spanish acronym) will interview 39,000 households and aims to have the fieldwork completed by mid-December when OAS's Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD in its Spanish acronym) will start analyzing the results. ¶47. (SBU) The Colombian Government started having planning sessions to consolidate its drug demand prevention efforts. The GOC aims to launch its drug demand prevention strategy on November 27. BROWNFIELD