DESTRUCTION OF FARC'S 45TH FRONT AND OTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 18358

SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINS PTER MOPS PGOV CO
SUBJECT: DESTRUCTION OF FARC'S 45TH FRONT AND OTHER
RECENT FARC LOSSES

REF: A. BOGOTA 18283; B. BOGOTA 17707


1. (C) SUMMARY: A RARE SUCCESS BY THE ARMY AGAINST
THE FARC GUERRILLAS IN META LAST MONTH (REF B),AND
FARC LOSSES DURING THEIR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
OFFENSIVES APPEAR TO HAVE RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF
THEIR PREVIOUS HIGH RATE OF ATTACKS. THESE LOSSES MAY
HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEIR SUDDEN RENEWAL OF
INTEREST IN POLITICAL INITIATIVES, SUCH AS THE PEACE
PLAN PROPOSED BY CONSERVATIVE SENATOR LEYVA DURAN
(REF A). END SUMMARY.


2. (U) IN ITS DECEMBER 9 ISSUE, "EL TIEMPO"
PUBLISHED A DETAILED REPORT THAT THE ARMY'S VII
BRIGADE TROOPS SUCCEEDED NOVEMBER 26 IN DISMANTLING
AND RENDERING COMBAT INEFFECTIVE THE ENCAMPMENT OF THE
FARC'S 45TH FRONT IN ARIARI, META DEPARTMENT (SEE
REFTEL). ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, THE ATTACK WAS
SUPPORTED BY THREE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS AND CAUGHT
THE GUERRILLAS BY SURPRISE. THE ACCOUNT SAYS THAT THE
GUERRILLAS LOST 21 KILLED IN THAT ACTION, MOST FROM
BLASTS BY RIFLE-LAUNCHED GRENADES AS THE GUERRILLAS
TRIED TO FLEE. GUERRILLA CASUALTIES INCLUDED THE
LEADER OF THE FARC'S 45TH FRONT, BUT SOME 30 SURVIVING
GUERRILLAS MANAGED TO FLEE THE AREA IN A ROUT.


3. (U) BRIGADIER GENERAL HAROLD BEDOYA PIZARRO,
COMMANDER OF THE ARMY'S VII BRIGADE WAS QUOTED AS
SAYING THAT THE ARMY WILL REMAIN IN THE ARARI ZONE TO
"CONTINUE HELPING ITS INHABITANTS FIGHT OFF THE FARC
CRIMINALS, WHO FOR YEARS HAVE WROUGHT ONLY POVERTY,
DESOLATION AND VIOLENCE TO PEACEFUL SETTLERS IN THAT
REGION."


4. (U) WEEKLY "SEMANA" NEWS MAGAZINE PUBLISHED A
BLURB ON THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 9 REPORTING FARC LOSSES
INCURRED IN THE SERIES OF OFFENSIVES LAUNCHED BY THAT
GROUP AFTER SEPTEMBER 1. QUOTING "NATIONAL AND
REGIONAL AUTHORITIES," SEMANA REPORTED THAT DURING
THIS THREE MONTH PERIOD THE FARC LOST 42 MEN KILLED,
87 WOUNDED, AND 242 WEAPONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES
CAPTURED BY THE ARMED FORCES. THE ARTICLE ALSO
REPORTED THAT FARC COLUMNS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ABANDON
15 ENCAMPMENTS AND HAVE REVEALED THE LOCATION OF 12 OF
THEIR 45 FRONTS.


5. (C) COMMENT: EVEN MAKING ALLOWANCES FOR POSSIBLY
EXAGGERATED MILITARY REPORTING THAT LED TO THE
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS, IT APPEARS THAT THE MILITARY HAS
CHALKED UP A RARE SUCCESS BASED ON A WELL EXECUTED
OPERATION IN META. FARC LOSSES DURING THEIR SEPTEMBER
AND OCTOBER OFFENSIVES MAY EXPLAIN GOC THINKING, AS
REVEALED RECENTLY BY PRESIDENTIAL COUNSELORS RAFAEL
AND RODRIGO PARDO ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO EMBOFFS,
THAT THE GUERRILLAS COULD NOT KEEP UP THEIR HIGH RATE
OF ACTIONS, AND WOULD LIKELY TURN TO POLITICAL
INITIATIVES. WE CAN SEE THE LATTER ALREADY UNDERWAY
WITH THE FARC/M-19 TRYING TO USE THE LEYVA DURAN PEACE
PLAN TO PRESSURE THE GOC INTO A CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT
(SEE BOGOTA 18283).


MCNAMARA