VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0186/01 0201637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201623Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2080
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000186 

SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PTER PHUM EAID SNAR CO
SUBJECT: DECEMBER COLOMBIA STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT INTIATIVE UPDATE 

REF: 09 BOGOTA 3593; 09 BOGOTA 2787; 09 BOGOTA 3617 
09 BOGOTA 3968 AND PREVIOUS 

Summary 

------- 



¶1. (SBU) Vice Minister of Defense Sergio Jaramillo's resignation 
leaves the USG without a key National Consolidation Plan (PNC) 
interlocutor and the GOC lacking a chief PNC strategist and 
spokesperson.  Post is engaging GOC leaders to focus their 
attention on consolidation in light of upcoming elections and 
possible government transition.  Local political leaders are 
lobbying for inclusion of their regions in Colombia Strategic 
Development Initiative (CSDI) priority zones.  The GOC approved 
additional funding for two additional Justice Houses to provide 
basic social and legal services to vulnerable populations. 
Elections and political process work has begun in Montes de Maria 
through the AID-supported Consortium for Electoral and Political 
Process Support (CEPPS).  Post is inviting the Dutch, Canadians and 
Germans to participate in CSDI coordination meetings to demonstrate 
progress and encourage international donors to support 
consolidation in concert with the USG.  The Colombian Military 
acknowledged its shared responsibility for countering the threat of 
emerging criminal bands (BACRIM).  Leading daily El Tiempo
published two feature articles in rare consolidation press 
coverage.  End Summary. 



GOC's Consolidation Champion Resigns, 

Post Engaging GOC Leadership 

------------------------------------ 



¶2. (SBU) Vice Minister of Defense Sergio Jaramillo announced his 
resignation on December 17 (ref A).  With his departure, the USG 
loses a key CSDI interlocutor and the GOC its chief strategist and 
champion of the National Consolidation Plan (PNC).  Post has 
developed an engagement strategy with GOC stakeholders to cultivate 
the next Jaramillo, focus civilian agency attention on 
consolidation and press for needed improvements in PNC 
implementation.  With elections and a possible government 
transition looming, the CSDI working group is working to protect 
USG investment in the PNC, its sustainability and progress achieved 
to date. 



Governors and Legislators Lobby to Be Part of CSDI 

--------------------------------------------- ----- 



¶3. (SBU) CSDI and the PNC focus limited resources and efforts on 
the most important conflict zones in order to achieve lasting and 
comprehensive results.  As Post's CSDI strategy becomes better 
known, governors and members of congress representing departments 
outside CSDI areas have lobbied the Embassy for inclusion. 
Examples include a member of congress who said that intensive 
aerial eradication campaigns have made many communities ready for 
voluntary eradication programs and a governor that advocated for 
support to protect security and economic development gains made in 
his department.  While the Embassy has national level programs to 
address some of these requests, most resources are necessarily 
directed at CSDI/PNC regions.  CSDI encourages the Center for the 
Coordination of Integrated Action (CCAI, the GOC's PNC coordinating 
mechanism) to review and prioritize local requests based on a 
holistic picture of the PNC and national needs. 
GOC Approves Funding for More Justice Houses 

-------------------------------------------- 



¶4. (U) Justice Houses constitute an important part of AID's 
democracy program and provide basic legal and social services to 
local communities.  The projects are developed jointly by local 
authorities, the GOC Ministry of Interior and Justice (MOIJ) and 
AID.  As part of Colombian nationalization of AID's justice 
program, the MOIJ-administered Security and Coexistence Fund 
approved a Colombian contribution of $820,000 for the construction 
of Justice Houses in Turbo and Apartado, both in the Department of 
Antioquia.  (Note: The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia -- 
FARC -- attacked a U.S.-funded justice house in August (ref B). End 
Note.)



CEPPS Launches Programs in Montes de Maria 

------------------------------------------ 



¶5. (U) Under AID direction, the Consortium for Electoral and 
Political Process Support (CEPPS) has begun elections and political 
process work in Montes de Maria.  The National Democratic Institute 
(NDI) started political party and civil society strengthening.  NDI 
found that political parties have very little local representation 
in Montes de Maria, and those local entities that exist seem 
disconnected from departmental and national party structures.  NDI 
also initiated a civic education campaign with civil society 
organizations to encourage political participation.  NDI worked 
with a Colombian NGO, the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE), to 
establish a local network of civil society organizations to conduct 
electoral observation for the upcoming national elections. 



¶6. (U) The International Republican Institute (IRI) is working in 
Bolivar department to implement departmental legislation directing 
the creation of a public policy for Afro-Colombians.  IRI and the 
Afro-Colombian Congressional Caucus supported the passage of the 
legislation in the departments of Bolivar, Sucre and Cordoba.  The 
laws seek to strengthen the engagement of Afro-Colombians in local 
government decision-making processes and provide for special public 
policies benefitting the social, economic, political, territorial, 
and cultural needs of this population (28% of Bolivar, 16% of Sucre 
and 13% of Cordoba according to the 2005 Census).  The 
implementation process is still in the planning phase but the Mayor 
of Cartagena has already expressed interest in supporting it. 



International Donor Support for Consolidation 

--------------------------------------------- 



¶7. (SBU) Pushback from NGOs and home governments has led 
international donors to avoid supporting the PNC due to concerns 
about its reputed military emphasis.  Donors, including the Dutch 
who have already funded over $2 million in food security and income 
generating activities in the Macarena consolidation zone for 
communities transitioning from coca to the licit economy, seem 
willing to support the PNC's civilian aspects, but are waiting for 
others to engage in order to assure domestic critics that this is 
an internationally legitimated civilian effort.  The Dutch and 
Canadians are the most receptive and are funding a study to create 
a "Friends of Meta" quasi-private association to foment private 
development in the Macarena consolidation zone.  The Germans are 
also close to committing funds.  Generally, international donors 
prefer to fund NGOs and other partners rather than the GOC, and 

thus support consolidation indirectly through economic development. 
The CSDI working group invited the Dutch, Canadians and Germans to 
a briefing in January to outline the progress being made on the 
civilian side of consolidation and demonstrate that increased 
international community involvement can further advance that 
progress. 



COLMIL Recognizes BACRIM Threat 

------------------------------- 



¶8. (SBU) Colombian military (COLMIL) officials told MILGRP officers 
that they now define emerging criminal bands (BACRIM) as a priority 
threat to be countered.  In the past, the COLMIL considered BACRIM 
solely a police problem and concentrated on guerrilla groups such 
as the FARC.  Heavily armed BACRIM are responsible for considerable 
violence and human rights abuses in consolidation areas and the 
Colombian National Police (CNP) does not have the operational 
capacity to confront them in some rural areas.  To assist this 
further military involvement in a crucial civilian safety 
initiative, CSDI agencies have discussed potential pathways to 
provide better training to military "first responders" to secure 
crime scenes and protect evidence to enable legal prosecution. 



Rare Press Coverage for Consolidation 

------------------------------------- 



¶9. (U) Leading daily El Tiempo published two feature articles on 
consolidation on December 14 and 15, in what the articles 
themselves described as rare press coverage in Colombia.  The first 
article explained the PNC concept, raised the problem of BACRIM in 
the Macarena consolidation zone and outlined advances made in 
Macarena communities.  The second feature contrasted the Macarena 
experience with the Caguan River area in Caqueta Department. 
According to the article, security gains along the Caguan River 
have yet to be followed by consolidation and state institutions, 
resulting in an environment where the local community and military 
coexist but without mutual confidence or a sense of joint purpose. 
(Note: The Governor of Caqueta was recently kidnapped and murdered 
(ref C). End Note.)



FARC Threaten Mayors Involved with Consolidation 

--------------------------------------------- --- 



¶10. (U) Colombian media reported that around December 29th, the 
FARC 21st Front detained 70 people traveling between San Antonio 
and Chaparral in Tolima department, including the mayor of San 
Antonio, Isamel Cruz Neira.  Cruz explained that the FARC told the 
group that the mayors of southern Tolima were "Uribizing" the 
territory and any cooperation with the national government made 
them legitimate military targets.  Cruz believed the FARC were 
referring to the social investment of the Peace Commissioner's 
office, USAID and other Colombian government entities.  The 
President of the Colombian Federation of Municipalities, Gilberto 
Toro, later said FARC communiques had threatened the mayors of 
Chaparral, Ataco, Rioblanco, and Planadas (the four PNC and CSDI 
priority municipalities in Southern Tolima). 
NICHOLS