HOMICIDES CONTINUE ON DOWNWARD TREND IN COLOMBIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000145 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2019 TAGS: PGOV SNAR PTER PHUM KJUS CO SUBJECT: HOMICIDES CONTINUE ON DOWNWARD TREND IN COLOMBIA REF: BOGOTA 4442 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor David Zimov Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) The GOC's preliminary numbers for 2008 showed that homicides dropped from 16,318 in 2007 to 15,200 in 2008, a 6.8 percent decrease. Atlantico and Meta saw a ten percent reduction due to an increase in Police operations and military presence. Still, some regions -- including Medellin -- experienced an up-tick in homicides, primarily as a result of confrontations between illegal armed groups over the drug trade. End summary. HOMICIDES IN 2008: DOWNWARD TREND -------------- ¶2. (U) The National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science (Medicina Legal) reported 15,200 homicides in 2008, compared to 16,318 in 2007--a 6.8 percent decrease. Atlantico and Meta Departments saw ten percent reductions in homicides from the previous year. Bogota experienced a slight decrease in homicides, from 1,030 in 2007 to 1,013 in ¶2008. General Orlando Paez Baron, National Police director of Public Security, said the vast majority of the remaining violence related almost exclusively to narcotrafficking. While homicide figures from different government agencies for 2008 showed some small variations and may still see slight adjustments, the preliminary data from the Ministry of Defense, the Vice Presidential Human Rights Observatory, the Colombian National Police, and Medicina Legal all showed similar figures and decreases. SOME AREAS SEE RISE - DRUGS TO BLAME -------------- ¶3. (U) Still, some regions experienced a surge in violence. Homicides increased in Antioquia Department by 549 in 2008, from 1,935 to 2,484. Medellin saw 261 more homicides than the previous year, a 34 percent increase. Still, Ministry of Defense statistics show that homicides in Antioquia have been reduced by 76 percent since the implementation of President Uribe's Democratic Security policy in 2002. ¶4. (C) Medellin Police Commander Dagoberto Garcia told us the Police were containing the city's increase in homicides -- which was largely a product of vendettas among rival criminal gangs -- and remained focused on reducing the homicide rate. He said that criminal penetration of the Police remained a problem, and that the Police had recently arrested, fired, or transferred 150 officers. Antioquia Government Secretary Andres Rendon said the region's violence was a result of disputes between criminal groups for the control of coca cultivation zones and drug transit routes. ¶5. (U) Cordoba Department also experienced an up-tick in violence, with 522 murders in 2008, 154 more than in 2007. Cordoba Police Commander Colonel Oscar Atehortua reported that the majority of killings were caused by emerging criminal groups involved in narcotrafficking (reftel). Arauca also saw an increase in murders -- largely in rural areas -- due to armed confrontation between the FARC and ELN. In Choco a small rise in homicides was attributed to confrontations between the FARC and emerging criminal groups. ¶6. (C) In Cali, Police Commander Colonel Luis Alberto Ramirez told us the number of murders slightly exceeded 2007 figures with bar fights, gang infighting, and narco-violence the cause of most violence. He said Cali maintained 5,243 police but needed 8,000 to effectively control the city. He noted the three biggest challenges facing the Police were reducing criminal gangs, fighting the culture of "easy narcotics money" among young people, and combating corruption. In October, seven police and three local prosecutors were arrested for running a kidnapping and extortion ring. BROWNFIELD