Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BOGOTA3241
2009-10-20 22:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
GOC MAKES INITIAL ARRESTS IN AWA MASSACRE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #3241/01 2932246 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 202245Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0447 INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0107 RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0437 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT LIMA 0458 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0498 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003241
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/10/20
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC MAKES INITIAL ARRESTS IN AWA MASSACRE
REF: REF A: BOGOTA 2765; REF B: BOGOTA 2839; REF C: BOGOTA 3073
CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Wells, Political Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003241
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/10/20
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC MAKES INITIAL ARRESTS IN AWA MASSACRE
REF: REF A: BOGOTA 2765; REF B: BOGOTA 2839; REF C: BOGOTA 3073
CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Wells, Political Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Colombian National Police (CNP) arrested five members of
the criminal band "Cockroaches" ("Las cucarachas") for their
alleged involvement in the August 26 murders of 12 Awa indigenous.
United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Chief of
Mission Christian Salazar said prosecutors had likely identified
the material culprits, but suggested further investigation could
uncover rogue military involvement. Salazar expressed frustration
over the stalled investigation into the alleged "false positive"
murder of the husband of one of the massacre victims. End Summary.
COLOMBIAN POLICE MAKE ARRESTS IN MASSACRE
--------------
2. (U) The CNP made five arrests in the August 26 murders of 12 Awa
indigenous in the Gran Rosario reserve, 80 kilometers from Tumaco
(Narino). According to the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia),
the suspects are members of the criminal gang "Cockroaches," which
has ties to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Defense Minister Gabriel Silva Lujan announced the gang had
targeted the extended family to silence a witness to one of their
crimes. The Prosecutor General's office has issued arrest warrants
for five additional individuals.
UNHCHR SUGGESTS MORE TO UNCOVER
--------------
3. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on October 8, United
Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Chief of Mission
Christian Salazar said his organization had been close to the
investigation and credited UNHCHR's expressed interest with
speeding the process. Salazar believed prosecutors had likely
identified the material culprits, but did not rule out the
possibility of uncovering rogue military involvement as the
suspects provide information. He cited "disturbing
similarities"--including killing children and targeting a
witness--to two previous murder cases of the Awa in which criminal
elements of the military were later discovered to be involved.
4. (C) Salazar expressed concern over "contradictions" in the
alleged "false positive"--military murder reported as combat
kill--case of Gonzalo Rodriguez, husband of massacre victim Tulia
Garcia Guanga. (Note: Some NGOs attributed the massacre to the
military's desire to silence Garcia who was reportedly the sole
witness to her husband's May 2009 murder (REF A)). Salazar said he
had twice requested that President Uribe ensure that the military
justice system transfer Rodriguez' case to the ordinary justice
system to no avail.
INDIGENOUS GROUP NOT CONVINCED
--------------
5. (C) Luis Evelis Andrade, President of the National Indigenous
Organization of Colombia (ONIC),told us October 13 that he was
concerned the investigation had so quickly discarded the
possibility of military involvement. In a press release issued
October 14, ONIC obliquely questioned the authorities' claims that
a criminal group with FARC ties was responsible for the August
massacre, when one of the victims was a witness to a "false
positive" crime.
BROWNFIELD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/10/20
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS CO
SUBJECT: GOC MAKES INITIAL ARRESTS IN AWA MASSACRE
REF: REF A: BOGOTA 2765; REF B: BOGOTA 2839; REF C: BOGOTA 3073
CLASSIFIED BY: Mark Wells, Political Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Colombian National Police (CNP) arrested five members of
the criminal band "Cockroaches" ("Las cucarachas") for their
alleged involvement in the August 26 murders of 12 Awa indigenous.
United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Chief of
Mission Christian Salazar said prosecutors had likely identified
the material culprits, but suggested further investigation could
uncover rogue military involvement. Salazar expressed frustration
over the stalled investigation into the alleged "false positive"
murder of the husband of one of the massacre victims. End Summary.
COLOMBIAN POLICE MAKE ARRESTS IN MASSACRE
--------------
2. (U) The CNP made five arrests in the August 26 murders of 12 Awa
indigenous in the Gran Rosario reserve, 80 kilometers from Tumaco
(Narino). According to the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia),
the suspects are members of the criminal gang "Cockroaches," which
has ties to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Defense Minister Gabriel Silva Lujan announced the gang had
targeted the extended family to silence a witness to one of their
crimes. The Prosecutor General's office has issued arrest warrants
for five additional individuals.
UNHCHR SUGGESTS MORE TO UNCOVER
--------------
3. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador on October 8, United
Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Chief of Mission
Christian Salazar said his organization had been close to the
investigation and credited UNHCHR's expressed interest with
speeding the process. Salazar believed prosecutors had likely
identified the material culprits, but did not rule out the
possibility of uncovering rogue military involvement as the
suspects provide information. He cited "disturbing
similarities"--including killing children and targeting a
witness--to two previous murder cases of the Awa in which criminal
elements of the military were later discovered to be involved.
4. (C) Salazar expressed concern over "contradictions" in the
alleged "false positive"--military murder reported as combat
kill--case of Gonzalo Rodriguez, husband of massacre victim Tulia
Garcia Guanga. (Note: Some NGOs attributed the massacre to the
military's desire to silence Garcia who was reportedly the sole
witness to her husband's May 2009 murder (REF A)). Salazar said he
had twice requested that President Uribe ensure that the military
justice system transfer Rodriguez' case to the ordinary justice
system to no avail.
INDIGENOUS GROUP NOT CONVINCED
--------------
5. (C) Luis Evelis Andrade, President of the National Indigenous
Organization of Colombia (ONIC),told us October 13 that he was
concerned the investigation had so quickly discarded the
possibility of military involvement. In a press release issued
October 14, ONIC obliquely questioned the authorities' claims that
a criminal group with FARC ties was responsible for the August
massacre, when one of the victims was a witness to a "false
positive" crime.
BROWNFIELD