

Currently released so far... 12689 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
2011/05/13
2011/05/14
2011/05/15
2011/05/16
2011/05/17
2011/05/18
2011/05/19
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AF
ASEC
AR
AEMR
AMGT
AE
AU
AID
AORC
APER
AS
AM
AFIN
AMED
AJ
AGR
ACOA
ANET
ASIG
ABLD
AL
AA
APECO
AGAO
AY
AGMT
APEC
AINF
AG
ACS
AECL
AFFAIRS
ABUD
ASUP
ADANA
AADP
AMCHAMS
ARF
ASEAN
ADPM
ATRN
ALOW
APCS
ADCO
ACAO
AORG
AROC
AO
AODE
ACABQ
AX
AMEX
AFGHANISTAN
AZ
AND
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AC
AUC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
ASCH
AFU
AMG
ATPDEA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AORL
ADM
AN
AIT
BU
BR
BL
BO
BA
BB
BG
BM
BBSR
BH
BEXP
BK
BD
BTIO
BT
BE
BY
BF
BX
BP
BRUSSELS
BILAT
BIDEN
BC
BMGT
BWC
BN
BTIU
CH
CG
CF
CU
CE
CVIS
CASC
CO
CS
CA
CIDA
CBW
CW
CMGT
CI
CODEL
CY
CPAS
CJAN
CD
CWC
CDG
CIA
CL
CROS
CAPC
CTR
CT
CR
CBSA
CEUDA
COM
CFED
CV
CACS
CARSON
CLINTON
CN
CONS
CM
CAC
CIC
COPUOS
CDC
CONDOLEEZZA
CICTE
COUNTER
COUNTRY
CBE
CKGR
CHR
CVR
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CLEARANCE
COE
CARICOM
CB
CSW
CITT
CACM
CDB
CJUS
CTM
CAN
CLMT
CBC
CNARC
CIS
EG
EZ
EUN
ECON
ETRD
ECPS
EFIN
ENRG
ETTC
EPET
EINV
EAID
EAIR
EWWT
EU
EAGR
EC
ELAB
EIND
EN
EMIN
ESENV
ENNP
EFIS
ELTN
ET
ECIN
EFTA
ES
EINT
EI
ENGR
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENVI
ETRDECONWTOCS
ECINECONCS
ELN
ELECTIONS
ENVR
EXTERNAL
EXIM
ETRO
ENIV
ESA
ER
EK
EUR
EFINECONCS
EUMEM
EUREM
EPA
ERNG
ENERG
ECA
ETRC
EINVEFIN
ETC
EAP
ECONOMY
EINN
ECONOMIC
EXBS
ECUN
ENGY
ECONOMICS
EIAR
EINDETRD
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
EFIM
EAIDS
EREL
EINVETC
ECONCS
ETRA
EAIG
EUC
ERD
ETRN
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EEPET
EUNCH
IS
IZ
IR
IC
IO
IN
ID
IGAD
IT
ILC
IAEA
ITU
ICAO
IMO
IBRD
IMF
ICJ
IAHRC
ITF
INRA
INRO
IWC
IQ
IV
ICRC
ICTY
INRB
IEFIN
ILO
ITRA
ITALY
IBET
ISRAELI
IL
INTELSAT
IRC
IDP
ICTR
IRAQI
IPR
IIP
INMARSAT
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
INTERNAL
IRS
IA
INTERPOL
IEA
INR
IZPREL
IRAJ
IF
ITPHUM
ISRAEL
IACI
INDO
IDA
ISLAMISTS
KSPR
KNNP
KWBG
KAWK
KISL
KPAO
KN
KS
KIPR
KCRM
KDEM
KIRF
KJUS
KHLS
KSCA
KOMC
KAWC
KV
KFRD
KWMN
KTIP
KPWR
KSUM
KGHG
KTIA
KTFN
KIRC
KCOR
KACT
KMDR
KGIC
KOLY
KUNR
KIDE
KMPI
KPKO
KCFE
KVPR
KRAD
KPAL
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KTEX
KTDB
KFSC
KZ
KSEP
KFLU
KE
KU
KPLS
KRVC
KRIM
KSTH
KG
KFLO
KPOA
KICC
KDDG
KPRV
KTBT
KBCT
KSAF
KMOC
KDRG
KBIO
KREC
KSTC
KVRP
KBTR
KMIG
KENV
KNSD
KCGC
KWAC
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KWMM
KPRP
KNEI
KPAI
KO
KVIR
KX
KMCA
KCRS
KMFO
KID
KCIP
KNAR
KR
KCRCM
KBTS
KSEO
KHDP
KFIN
KOCI
KGIT
KNUP
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KSCI
KTLA
KHIV
KCSY
KTRD
KMRS
KNPP
KJUST
KCMR
KTER
KRCM
KCFC
KSAC
KCHG
KREL
KFTFN
KCOM
KLIG
KDEMAF
KAID
KGCC
KICA
KHUM
KSEC
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KWWMN
KOM
KWNM
KRFD
KRGY
KIFR
KWMNCS
KPAK
KOMS
KHSA
MPOS
MOPS
MARR
MTCR
MNUC
MASS
MX
MCAP
MAR
MTRE
MASC
MK
MG
MTCRE
MI
MD
MA
MO
MY
MU
ML
MRCRE
MAS
MEDIA
MC
MR
MIL
MW
MARAD
MAPP
MZ
MP
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MEPN
MEPI
MEETINGS
MERCOSUR
MT
MCC
MIK
MAPS
MV
MILITARY
MDC
MEPP
MASSMNUC
MUCN
MQADHAFI
NATO
NG
NL
NZ
NT
NW
NO
NU
NS
NPT
NASA
NI
NK
NSG
NE
NORAD
NAFTA
NP
NATIONAL
NSSP
NSF
NA
NGO
NV
NR
NDP
NIPP
NZUS
NH
NC
NEW
NRR
NAR
NATOPREL
NPG
NSC
NPA
NSFO
OPDC
OPRC
OEXC
OTRA
ODIP
OIIP
OVIP
OPIC
OPCW
OAS
OREP
OSCE
OSCI
OES
OFDP
OECD
OCS
OIC
OPAD
OVP
OHUM
OFFICIALS
OIE
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OBSP
OFDA
ON
OCII
PREL
PGOV
PARM
PINR
PTER
PHUM
PK
PREF
PM
PHSA
PA
PINS
PE
PBTS
PCI
PO
PL
POGOV
PAK
PEL
PGIV
PROP
PP
PBIO
POL
POLITICS
POLICY
PINL
PBT
PMIL
POV
PTBS
PG
POSTS
PALESTINIAN
PROV
PNAT
PINF
PRL
PAS
PDOV
PRAM
PREO
PAHO
PHUMPGOV
PAO
PREFA
PSI
POLITICAL
PAIGH
PARMS
PROG
PTERE
PRGOV
PORG
PS
PGOF
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PNG
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PHUMBA
PSEPC
PNR
POLINT
PGOVE
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PGOC
PY
PLN
PHUH
PF
PHUS
PU
PARTIES
PCUL
PGGV
PSA
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PHUMPREL
RS
RU
RW
REACTION
RCMP
RSO
RO
RP
ROOD
RM
ROBERT
RICE
REGION
RSP
RF
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
RUPREL
RELATIONS
RFE
REPORT
SY
SP
SOCI
SMIG
SNAR
SCUL
SC
SU
SO
SI
SENV
SZ
SW
SA
SR
SF
SEVN
SN
STEINBERG
SEN
SG
SYR
SWE
SK
SH
SNARCS
SAARC
SNARIZ
SPCE
SARS
SNARN
SCRS
SYRIA
SL
SENVKGHG
SAN
ST
SIPDIS
SSA
SPCVIS
SOFA
SANC
SHI
SHUM
SIPRS
TSPA
TSPL
TU
TBIO
TRGY
TPHY
TS
TP
TW
TBID
TI
TF
TZ
TD
TT
TN
TNGD
TC
TX
TH
TL
TIP
THPY
TV
TK
TERRORISM
TO
TRSY
TURKEY
TINT
TFIN
TAGS
TR
US
UNSC
UNGA
UK
UP
UNCHC
UN
UNMIK
UNCSD
UY
USTR
USOAS
UNHRC
UNFCYP
UG
UNAUS
UNESCO
UNIDROIT
UNO
UV
UNHCR
USUN
UZ
USNC
UNCHR
UNCND
UNEP
USEU
USPS
USAID
UE
UNVIE
UAE
UNDP
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNDESCO
UNC
UNPUOS
UNDC
UNICEF
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 05BOGOTA1604, PLAN COLOMBIA IMPLEMENTATION ROUND-UP, JANUARY,
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05BOGOTA1604.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
05BOGOTA1604 | 2005-02-18 19:48 | 2011-04-29 00:00 | SECRET | Embassy Bogota |
Appears in these articles: http://www.semana.com/wikileaks/Seccion/168.aspx |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
id: 27360
date: 2/18/2005 19:48
refid: 05BOGOTA1604
origin: Embassy Bogota
classification: SECRET
destination:
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
----------------- header ends ----------------
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 BOGOTA 001604
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR MASS PREF EAID KJUS CO
SUBJECT: PLAN COLOMBIA IMPLEMENTATION ROUND-UP, JANUARY,
2005
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (U) The following is an update of Plan Colombia-related
activities reported during January, 2005.
----------
DOJ/ICITAP
----------
¶2. (U) From January 25-28, the DOJ International Criminal
Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and U.S.
Secret Service (USSS) presented a Financial Crimes Electronic
SIPDIS
Evidence Collection Seminar in Bogota. Twenty-five Colombian
law enforcement and intelligence personnel received training
in the collection and preservation of digital evidence seized
from electronic devices such as computers, PDAs, and digital
cameras. ICITAP and USSS donated equipment to these agencies
to outfit five computer laboratories.
--------
DOJ/JSRP
--------
¶3. (U) In January, Colombia began to implement a new Criminal
Procedure Code, which introduces an accusatory criminal
justice system. The Code will be implemented gradually, with
the judicial districts of Armenia, Bogota, Manizales and
Pereira introducing the code in 2005. The initial
impressions and media coverage of operations under the new
Code have been very positive (see para. 11 regarding USG
assistance).
--------
MILGROUP
--------
¶4. (C) On January 4, ongoing problems with the Military Penal
Justice (MPJ) system moved into the public eye when the
leading daily "El Tiempo" reported that the President's legal
officer was considering annexing Military Justice to the
Prosecutor General's office. Emboffs from Political,
MILGROUP and DAO have met weekly to discuss plans for
immediate and long-term reform of the Military Penal Justice
(MPJ), with the Office of the SOUTHCOM Judge's Advocate
(SCSJA), the MILGROUP Legal Liaison Officer (LNO), and MPJ
Director Brigadier General (BG) Luis Fernando Puentes Torres
Girlado. Although it looks like the report was more of a
threat than a reality, MPJ Puentes has taken steps toward
reform and asked for advice on the best way to transfer court
procedures to an accusatorial system, create an investigative
laboratory, and establish an administrative process for
in-service misdemeanors.
¶5. (C) Embassy plans to assist the COLMIL over the next year
to implement a plan to reform military justice system
adjudications, and to advise COLMIL officials during the
legislative consideration process. The new system must have
effective mechanisms for fact-finding and investigations,
prosecution of cases, and swift decision-making and
sentencing by judges. BG Puentes acknowledged that the
current MPJ system is not designed to do these things well,
and is straining under the weight of backlogged cases. He
also concurred that if he does not change the system soon,
COLMIL could be forced to move some or all of MPJ under the
purview of the GOC civilian legal structure. BG Puentes
developed a six-point plan to improve the MPJ system. The
LNO's highest priority is now to advise and assist BG Puentes
and his staff on this plan. MILGROUP has also requested that
SCSJA advise and assist COLMIL to develop strategies to
improve these core legal justice competencies. The Political
section has offered suggestions on improving the
communication mechanisms, especially for military cases
involving civilians' human rights. MILGROUP is working with
DOJ representatives in the Embassy who are currently
assisting the GOC with reform of the civilian legal system.
MILGROUP and SCSJA began analyzing the COLMIL legal reform
plan as the first step in this process.
¶6. (C) In January, Admiral Luis Fernando Yance Villamil,
Colombian Marines (COLMAR) Commandant, held a conference of
all Brigade and Battalion Commanders (Cdrs) in Bogota.
Admiral Mauricio Soto Gomez, Colombian Navy (COLNAV)
Commandant, opened the event with his vision for the future
of the COLMAR. Adm Yance stressed the value of the
non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and sergeant majors
(SgtMajs). During the conference the SgtMaj of the COLMAR
sat next to Yance and participated as a key leader in the
event. Yance directed that Battalion and Brigade Cdrs will
turn over as much as possible of the day-to-day running of
the battalion to the SgtMaj so that they can focus on
operations and training. Admirals Soto and Yance made the
following comments and directives:
-- Each Battalion or Brigade will use a new database to
inventory every piece of equipment that they own and justify
how they acquired the items. This will become the baseline
to reduce corruption and illegal procurement or sales
practices.
-- Cdrs must stop skimming funds from the food budget to
purchase other items for the base.
-- A new personnel program will target promotion of the best
conscripts through the ranks of professional,
non-commissioned officer (NCO), and officer.
-- Adm Yance has received a petition from about 40 Army
officers wishing to switch to the COLMAR.
-- The COLMAR goal for recruitment is to increase from 20,100
to 23,000 Marines by the end of CY05.
-- Unit cdrs must take responsibility for training. With the
help of the Traditional Commander Activity (TCA) training
event that the U.S. Naval Mission (NAVMIS) is conducting, a
COLMAR-wide training management program will be established.
-- Any officer who is overweight and out of shape past July
will not be promoted.
-- The Second Brigade will be transformed to a Riverine
Brigade. Adm Yance discussed implications, outlined the way
ahead, and discussed the plan to place new outposts on the
remaining rivers on Colombia's borders with Brazil and
Venezuela.
-- Cdrs must maintain a log of all events and begin to create
After Action Reports to be compiled at the Covenas Doctrine
Division (CDD), a planning think-tank for COLMIL. The CDD
will analyze lessons learned and create new tactics and
procedures to counter FARC/AUC actions as they evolve. The
COLMAR continues its progressive transformation and is
setting the standard for change in the COLMIL.
¶7. (S) On January 8-10 Major General (MG) Carlos Alberto
Fracica Naranja, Commander of Joint Task Force Omega (JTF-O),
conducted a commander's conference at Larandia, the first
meeting to bring the new JTF-O staff and commanders together
since the December turnover of personnel. While praising MG
Reinaldo Castellanos Trujillo's prior efforts, Fracica made
it clear the operation has entered a new phase in which he
believes the FARC will attempt to avoid contact or combat in
order to reorganize, resupply and reconstitute until they
have rebuilt the combat power to conduct offensive
operations. He emphasized that neutralizing the FARC
infrastructure is the key to success for the national
campaign and that his subordinate commanders must be more
aggressive in their execution of operations. At the tactical
level, he emphasized the need for small unit (platoon and
below), special and integrated air. He also said
psychological operations and civil affairs should be
integrated into all tactical operations. He stated the JTF's
strategic objectives are to gain territorial control, gain
support of the local populace, block FARC mobility corridors,
kill or capture a secretariat-level high value target (HVT),
and force demobilization of the FARC in the JTF area of
operations.
---
NAS
---
¶8. (U) In January, The Embassy coordinated the eleventh
annual Aerial Eradication Verification process. The
three-week verification mission collected soil and water
samples from hundreds of locations where aerial spraying had
been conducted in recent months. The mission was conducted
by USDA and GOC scientists, with assistance from INL, NAS
Bogota, the Colombian National Police, other GOC officials,
and OAS CICAD observers. The mission's objective was to
determine the environmental effects, if any, of our aerial
spraying program, as required by both U.S. and GOC law. In
the course of collecting field samples the evaluators also
made observations regarding replanting, and other measures
undertaken by narcoterrorists to counter eradication
activities.
---
RSO
---
¶9. (U) Anti-Kidnapping Program (AKI): Four instructors and
the Acting Program Manager arrived on January 19 in
preparation for the start of the next six-week Crisis
Response Training (CRT) at the Anti-Terrorism Assistance
Program (ATA) CRT training facility at the Colombian National
Police (CNP) tactical training base in Sibate. The program
has still not received the equipment and weapons for the
previous four courses trained. Once they arrive, a refresher
course for the trained units will be conducted.
¶10. (U) VIP Personal Protection Training Program: The MOD's
dignitary protection team will graduate from a two-week
training course on January 21. The entire personal
protection team of the MOD has now been trained.
-----
USAID
-----
¶11. (U) On January 12, Vice President Francisco Santos,
USAID/Colombia Director Michael Deal, and U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) Director John Shaw visited the Phytosanitary Center
of Excellence (CEF) in Bogota. As directed by Santos, the
Ministry of Agriculture established a committee to develop a
strategy to promote the export of Colombian fruits and
vegetables to the U.S., to take advantage of the CEF
protocols, and to achieve USD $1 billion in exports over the
next ten years. The CEF promotes the export of fresh
agricultural products to the U.S. by conducting pest risk
analyses and utilizing geographic information systems for
plant pest surveillance. Since July 2002, USAID has
contributed a total of USD $1 million to organize, equip, and
staff the CEF in Bogota. USDA/APHIS is providing the
technical assistance for this project.
¶12. (U) To prepare Colombia for the transition to an oral,
accusatorial justice system -- officially rolled out on
January 1 -- USAID designed and constructed 35 specialized
oral courtrooms. The courtrooms are furnished and equipped
for public hearings and trials. USAID has also trained in
oral procedures (required by the new system) to 123 law
professors and 1,349 criminal justice system operators,
including public defenders, inspectors and judges. Only one
month after being implemented in jurisdictions in Bogota,
Manizales, Pereira and Armenia, statistics show that:
-- police are making fewer frivolous arrests;
-- scarce resources of courtrooms, prosecutors and public
defenders are being focused on more serious crimes;
-- 66 percent of all cases arraigned in the first month of
operation were plea bargained and therefore will not require
costly and time-consuming trials; and
-- cases that once took years to be processed are now being
adjudicated in days.
¶13. (U) In January, USAID and Colombian clothing manufacturer
DELMYP started the implementation of a training and job
placement program. The program will benefit 100 displaced
and vulnerable people from the municipality of Soacha,
Cundinamarca (just south of the city of Bogota), with
full-time employment and health benefits. DELMYP, a company
with a long history in textiles and clothing production, will
be able to guarantee a minimum job placement rate of 90
percent. To date, USAID's internally displaced persons
(IDPs) program has assisted roughly 2.2 million IDPs with
medium- and long-term assistance.
¶14. (U) Under its Human Rights Program, USAID signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for up to USD $1 million
with the Inspector General's (IG's) Office. The MOU aims to
strengthen the IG's preventive and disciplinary functions
with activities such as expansion of the IG's human rights
violations tracking system and oversight of the
demobilization and reincorporation process.
WOOD
=======================CABLE ENDS============================