UPDATE ON FARC "EXECUTION" GRAVEYARD

id: 455 date: 5/29/1991 14:38 refid: 91BOGOTA8074 origin: Embassy Bogota classification: SECRET destination: 91BOGOTA5253 header: P 291438Z MAY 91 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5609 INFO DEPTJUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY SECDEF WASHDC DEA WASHDC AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY PANAMA USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA CDR4THPSYOPG FT BRAGG NC//AORC-POG-F// -------------- header ends -------------- S E C R E T BOGOTA 08074 JUSTICE ALSO FOR ICITAP DEA FOR AX, AD, AO, DO, OF, OC, OIOA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD CINCLANT ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM PTER PINS CO SUBJECT: UPDATE ON FARC "EXECUTION" GRAVEYARD REF: BOGOTA 5253 ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. DURING A MAY 20 CONVERSATION WITH CHARGE AND POLOFF, PRESIDENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISOR JORGE ORLANDO MELO DISCUSSED THE FARC GRAVEYARD UNCOVERED BY THE ARMY IN LA URIBE, META DEPARTMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR (REFTEL). MELO SAID HIS INFORMATION WAS NOT FIRST-HAND AND THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INVESTIGATIVE FILES ON THE CASE WHICH, UNDER COLOMBIAN LAW, ARE SECRET. HE HAS, HOWEVER, HEARD THAT A TOTAL OF ABOUT SIXTY BODIES WERE FOUND IN THE AREA, WHICH IS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FARC'S FORMER "CASA VERDE" HEADQUARTERS. SOME OF THOSE BURIED MAY HAVE DIED NATURAL DEATHS OR FROM COMBAT WOUNDS, WHILE SOME 25 WERE SAID TO HAVE DIED OF AN EXECUTION STYLE BULLET TO THE HEAD. ¶3. INITIAL PRESS REPORTS HAD SUGGESTED THERE MIGHT BE UP TO THREE HUNDRED BODIES AND IMPLIED THE MAJORITY HAD BEEN EXECUTED. MELO SAID DEFENSE MINSTER BOTERO HAD PRIVATELY TOLD HIM THAT THE PRESS EXAGGERATED THE STORY. MELO, HOWEVER, SEEMS TO THINK THE MILITARY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INITIAL INFLATED ACCOUNTS. ¶4. COMMENT: SINCE THE INITIAL SPURT OF PUBLICITY THE FARC GRAVEYARD STORY HAS DISAPPEARED FROM THE PRESS. PROCURADURIA AND PRIVATE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP SOURCES HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY INFORMATION ON THE CASE. THE REPORT OF SOME 25 EXECUTIONS, IF ACCURATE, WOULD BE DAMNING EVIDENCE OF THE FARC'S ATROCIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. THE PROPAGANDA VALUE OF THIS FIND, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN GREATLY REDUCED BY THE ARMY'S APPARENTLY EXAGGERATED INITIAL CLAIMS. HOBBS =======================CABLE ENDS============================