DESERTERS REVEAL DETAILS OF THE FARC'S BLOOD

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 17718

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PTER PINS PHUM PGOV CO
SUBJECT: DESERTERS REVEAL DETAILS OF THE FARC'S BLOOD
PURGE OF SUSPECTED INFILTRATORS


1. (C) SUMMARY: SIX GUERRILLA DESERTERS UNFOLDED TO
JOURNALISTS AN EYE-OPENING ACCOUNT OF ATROCITIES
COMMITTED BY THE FARC LEADERSHIP AGAINST ITS TROOPS IN
THE MIDDLE MAGDALENA RIVER VALLEY. CARLOS ENRIQUE
CARDONA (AKA BRAULIO HERRERA),A FARC LEADER IN THE
MAGDALENA, STAGED A SERIES OF MASSACRES OF MANY OF HIS
OWN MEN WHOM HE SUSPECTED OF BEING GOVERNMENT
INFILTRATORS. THE REAL MOTIVATION, HOWEVER, SEEMS TO
HAVE BEEN THE CHAGRIN EXPERIENCED BY CARDONA AND OTHER
REGIONAL FARC LEADERS AT INCREASING DISAFFECTION AND
DESERTION WITHIN GUERRILLA RANKS. THE INCIDENT
UNDERSCORES THE FARC'S READINESS TO COMMIT ATROCITIES.
IT ALSO SHOWS UP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AS ONE-SIDEDLY
EMPHASIZING THE GOC'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD, WHILE
DOWNPLAYING GUERRILLA ATROCITIES. END SUMMARY

UP FOUNDER ORDERS PUNITIVE KILLINGS OF FARC TROOPS
-------------- --------------

2. (U) THE SIX DESERTERS SPOKE TO JOURNALISTS FROM
THEIR RURAL HIDING PLACE IN NORTHERN COLOMBIA IN EARLY
NOVEMBER. THE BLOOD PURGE REPORTEDLY DECIMATED SEVERAL
FARC FRONTS IN THE MIDDLE MAGDALENA RIVER VALLEY REGION:
AT LEAST 200 AND AS MANY AS 500 FARC GUERRILLAS MAY HAVE
BEEN EXECUTED IN LATE 1988 AND EARLY 1989, ACCORDING TO
THE SIX DESERTERS. CARLOS ENRIQUE CARDONA (AKA BRAULIO
HERRERA),THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE KILLINGS,
IS A PROMINENT FARC LEADER AND A FOUNDER OF THE
PATRIOTIC UNION (UP) PARTY (IN 1985). HE ORDERED THE
PUNITIVE KILLINGS AFTER HE FAILED IN LATE 1988 TO
RECOVER THE MIDDLE MAGDALENA RIVER VALLEY, A FARC
STRONGHOLD UNTIL THE LOCAL "SELF-DEFENSE GROUPS" DROVE
THE GUERRILLAS OUT IN 1981-82. THE EXECUTIONS WERE
PRECEDED BY MOCK COURT MARTIALS TO GIVE A FORMAL
APPEARANCE THAT JUSTICE HAD BEEN SERVED.

FARC SENTENCES PURGER TO DEATH, BUT THE PC SAVES HIM
-------------- --------------

3. (U) THE DESERTERS SAID THAT IN MARCH 1989 THE FARC
HIGH COMMAND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR ("AYUDANTIA") TO THE
CARDONA'S ELEVENTH FRONT IN THE MAGDALENA. THE ENVOY
FROM THE HIGH COMMAND ENDED THE INDISCRIMINATE
EXECUTIONS. HE THEN ORDERED CARDONA TO RELINQUISH HIS
COMMAND AND APPEAR BEFORE THE FARC'S TOP LEADERSHIP IN
THE HILLS OF META DEPARTMENT. IN APRIL, THE FARC'S
SECRETARIAT TRIED AND SENTENCED CARDONA/HERRERA TO DEATH
(IN ABSENTIA) FOR HAVING FAILED TO RETAKE THE MAGDALENA
REGION. ONE OF THE SIX DESERTERS, A FORMER ASSISTANT TO
FARC LEADERS MANUEL MARULANDA AND JACOBO ARENAS, ACCUSED
THE FARC'S LEADERSHIP OF TRYING TO HUSH UP CARDONA'S
ATROCITIES TO PREVENT FURTHER DEMORALIZATION AMONG FARC
TROOPS. THE DESERTERS RELATED THAT THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE COLOMBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY (PCC) WAS ABLE TO
INTERCEDE IN CARDONA'S BEHALF AND MITIGATE HIS SENTENCE
TO ONE OF EXPULSION FROM THE FARC. LATER THIS YEAR, THE
PCC SENT CARDONA TO MOSCOW, WHERE HE NOW RESIDES ON A
"STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP."

COMMENT:
--------------

4. (C) THE REVELATIONS BY THE FARC DESERTERS ARE YET
ANOTHER INDICATION OF THE READINESS OF THE GUERRILLAS TO
COMMIT ATROCITIES. THEY ALSO SUGGEST THAT SOME FARC
LEADERS ARE INSECURE AND WILLING TO RESORT TO DESPERATE
MEASURES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THEIR TROOPS.
IRONICALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL ACCUSED OF COMMITTING THIS
ATROCITY WAS A LEADING FOUNDER OF THE UP, ONE OF THE
MORE VOCAL CRITICS OF THE GOC HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. EVEN
MORE IRONICALLY IT WAS THE PCC, THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF
THE UP, WHICH INTERCEDED ON CARDONA'S BEHALF AND
ASSISTED HIM TO OBTAIN SHELTER IN THE SOVIET UNION.
THIS INCIDENT ALSO UNDERSCORES THE WRONGHEADEDNESS OF
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, WHOSE ONE-SIDED REPORT ON HUMAN
RIGHTS IN COLOMBIA EMPHASIZES THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD
AND DOWNPLAYS GUERRILLA ATROCITIES SUCH AS THIS ONE.


MCLEAN