VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #8585/01 3522059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 182059Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0538
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 9691
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ DEC 9136
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 5727
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 8194
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 0995
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6428
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4228
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS BOGOTA 008585 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/AND AND PM/WRA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PARM PHUM PREF CO
SUBJECT: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES: HUMANITARIAN DEMINING IN 
COLOMBIA 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (U) A November 12-17 visit by PM/WRA program officer 
reviewed progress of USG-supported humanitarian mine action 
(HMA) projects and next steps.  The GOC's recent 
restructuring of its civilian HMA management shows renewed 
commitment to demining issues, and receives high marks from 
international donors.  Two U.S.-funded emergency humanitarian 
demining missions by Colombian military platoons are slated 
for areas formerly controlled by the FARC. Social services 
and landmine victim assistance are being targeted through GOC 
and local civil society participation. Still, the continuing 
conflict and weak coordination among the HMA community 
continue to pose challenges.  For the second year in a row, 
Colombia has the highest number of mine victims in the world, 
with Colombian military the primary victims. END SUMMARY. 
 
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RESTRUCTURING GOC LEADERSHIP IN DEMINING 
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¶2. (U) PM/WRA program officer Edmund Trimakas visited 
Colombia November 12-17 to monitor progress of USG-funded 
humanitarian demining and victims' assistance projects, and 
to explore areas for future assistance. In addition to 
PM/WRA's demining assistance, SOUTHCOM's HMA is funding 
training of a demining platoon and a new Mine Action Center 
(MAC) in the Colombian military (COLMIL's) Engineering 
School, due to open in February 2008. The MAC will facilitate 
improved data entry and management, mine risk education and 
interagency/civil society coordination.  USAID's Leahy Fund 
will also contribute to rehabilitation services, 
socio-economic training, and capacity building. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Training and implementation of USG-funded emergency 
response humanitarian demining teams (funded since 2006) have 
been slow, due in part to the bureaucracy of the Organization 
of American States (OAS) and safety concerns associated with 
demining in areas of conflict.  Officials from the 
Presidential Program for Integrated Action against 
Anti-personnel Mines (PPAICMA) and the Colombian military 
indicated renewed GOC commitment to address humanitarian 
demining issues.  Formerly called Observatorio de Minas, the 
PPAICMA is now headed by Andres Davila who transferred from 
the Ministry of Planning and is highly regarded by civil 
society.  Despite bureaucratic obstacles, Davila told us he 
is preparing the groundwork to launch new initiatives. 
 
¶4. (U) The Demining Department in the Colombian military's 
School of Engineers controls the GOC's four demining 
platoons, each composed of 40 soldiers.  PM/WRA funds two 
platoons for emergency humanitarian demining while the 
Government of Canada funds two for conventional humanitarian 
demining units (i.e. Colombian military mines). The funding 
for both is managed by the OAS. The GOC will create a third 
emergency humanitarian demining in 2008, for a total of five 
platoons, and hopes to create three more platoons in 2009. 
Major Goyenache, head of the Demining Department, said the 
GOC's goal is to complete its Ottawa convention agreement to 
remove all Colombian military mines ahead of the 2011 
deadline and shift those platoons to emergency humanitarian 
demining work. 
 
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DEMINING FARC AREAS 
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¶5. (U) A USG-funded platoon is conducting its first mission 
to clear over 200 UXOs mines from two fields near San Jose de 
Guaviare, in response to an indigenous community's request to 
clear the sites.  Sixteen members of one family were injured 
after bringing home a grenade as part of a scrap metal 
collection.  The reclaimed 23,074 square meters will be 
turned over to the indigenous community on December 13. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Underscoring the inherent difficulties of 
implementing HMA during conflict areas, initial plans to 
deploy a platoon to Ricaurte, Narino were put on hold when 
the survey team encountered FARC activity in the area. 
 
PPAICMA is now shifting its activity to San Francisco in 
Antioquia department.  San Francisco has the third highest 
number of mine victims in the country; 70 displaced families 
are expected to return to their homes after the conclusion of 
the demining mission.  Survey teams composed of 
representatives from PPAICMA, COLMIL, OAS, and International 
Demining Monitors have proposed additional impact studies in 
Santa Rosa (Bolivar) and Necocli, Cocorna, Dabeiba, 
Guadelupe, and Caracoli (Antioquia).  PPAICMA will continue 
to evaluate conditions for demining missions in Narino. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In early November, President Uribe mandated an HMA 
operation in Montes de Maria, an area where the GOC has 
scored important successes against the FARC, including 
killing FARC leader Gustavo Rueda (aka "Martin Caballero"). 
A second USG-funded platoon recently completed training and 
will begin its mission in December - a six-month project to 
clear the town of Bajo Grande and surrounding areas from 
which the FARC had displaced over 300 people.  General 
Mantilla, commander of the Corozal military base told us the 
platoon must be airlifted the last five kilometers to the 
area due to unsafe road conditions. PPAICMA is working with 
the GOC's Coordination for Integrated Action (CCAI) and 
Accion Social to provide road repair, school construction, 
electricity lines, and sanitation services once the mines are 
cleared. 
 
¶8. (U) Centro Integral de Rehabilitacion de Colombia's 
(CIREC) Seeds of Hope program will also fund advocacy 
programs, support groups, and vocational training for 
landmine victims in the Montes de Maria region through PM/WRA 
funding.  PM/WRA's $300K assistance will fund rehabilitation 
brigades to rural areas, providing medical assessment, 
physical therapy and custom-made prosthetics.  CIREC director 
Jeanette Perry de Saravia told us they are working to raise 
public awareness of the plight of landmine victims and 
international cooperation on HMA. A full-page article in 
Colombia's daily El Tiempo on September 8 and a public event 
that week attended by Vice President Santos were positive 
steps. 
 
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CHALLENGES AHEAD 
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¶9. (SBU) Civil society and donor nations expect PPAICMA's new 
leadership to address the weak coordination among the HMA 
community.  PPAICMA and COLMIL officials expressed concern 
over the lack of access to the OAS' demining budget and 
planning, while OAS officials countered that the GOC's 
priorities do not always reflect an urgent need.  A new, 
full-time OAS HMA Director based in Bogota is expected to 
facilitate communication between the GOC and OAS. 
 
¶10. (U) For the second year in a row, Colombia has the 
highest number of mine victims in the world.  Colombian 
military on active duty remain the primary victims of 
landmines, totaling 60%-80% of all cases.  The International 
Committee for the Red Cross notes, however, that civilian 
mine incidents are underreported as many civilian victims 
live in remote rural areas, are poorly educated, and are 
unsure of reporting procedures. GOC and civil society sources 
said mine incidents are highest where FARC activity exists. A 
Human Rights Watch report this year stated the FARC and ELN 
are responsible for the majority of antipersonnel mines in 
Colombia. 
Brownfield