UNCLAS BOGOTA 002030
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR INL/LP AND INL/RM
DEPT FOR WHA/AND
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR, SENV, KCRM, PTER, CO
SUBJECT: NAS MONTHLY REPORT FOR MAY 2009
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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Aerial Eradication program sprayed 10,895
hectares in May, putting the program on schedule to reach the
calendar goal of 100,000 hectares sprayed. Due to enhanced
communication and synchronization, Accion Social management agreed
to remove previously established, large no-spray areas, thus opening
additional work areas to aerial eradication. Colombian manual
eradication efforts eradicated a total of 17,099 hectares, incurring
seven casualties with five security personnel killed (17 people have
died in manual eradication operations in 2009). PCHP flew 23.2
hours supporting ten medical evacuation flights that transported 25
patients. Two COLAR pilots obtained certification in advanced crew
qualification positions, marking progress toward nationalization
efforts. Cooperation on antinarcotics efforts between Venezuela and
Colombia led to two large operations by Venezuelan armed forces in
Venezuela. On May 28, Colombian and U.S. officials inaugurated NAS
Bogota-funded (US Army Corps of Engineers-supervised) USD 6M rural
police training center in Pijaos, Tolima. The Timbiqui indigenous
community in Cauca claimed that spray operations occurred in their
community on May 5 and that 40 people became ill as the result.
After reviewing spray data, NAS confirmed that spray operations did
not occur on this date. END SUMMARY.
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AERIAL ERADICATION PROGRAM
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2. (SBU) The Aerial Eradication team sprayed a total of 10,895
hectares in May, in spite of the fact that 71 percent of scheduled
sorties were cancelled due to poor weather. The total hectares
sprayed at each base follow: Cucuta, 586; San Jose, 4,906; and
Tumaco, 5,403. This brings the calendar year total for hectares of
coca sprayed to 42,264, and puts the program on schedule to reach
the calendar goal of 100,000 hectares sprayed. Eradication aircraft
experienced three hostile fire incidents during the month, resulting
in nine impacts, bringing the total for the calendar year to ten
hostile fire incidents with seventeen impacts.
3. (SBU) Coordination continues to improve between the aerial
eradication program and the GOC's Accion Social manual eradication
effort. Due to enhanced communication and synchronization, Accion
Social management agreed to remove previously instituted, large
no-spray areas, thus opening additional work areas to aerial
eradication.
4. (SBU) Student attendance at the AT-802 mechanic training is not
improving - the students are regularly pulled from class to attend
other courses or to attend to non-training related requirements.
The aerial eradication program manager, NAU Colombian National
Police (CNP) liaison, and NAS ARAVI (CNP Air Service Support)
personnel are working with the ARAVI commander to ensure required
attendance.
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MANUAL ERADICATION PROGRAM
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5. (SBU) Phase II of the GOC's 2009 manual eradication campaign (GME
program) began in late May and will last until late July. The total
eradication of coca for the month of May was 4,184 hectares -
bringing the GME program's year-to-date total to 14,089 hectares.
Including eradication carried out by the Colombian security forces,
total coca eradication through May was 17,099 hectares. Manual
eradication operations are ongoing in seven departments but will
expand to additional departments as insertion of manual eradicators
continues during Phase II. The majority of GMEs are working in the
traditional coca growing regions of Putumayo, Antioquia, Meta and
Narino.
6. (SBU) In May, landmine and hostile fire incidents killed five
security personnel and injured two others. In one incident, four
soldiers protecting GMEs were killed by a landmine in the department
of Antioquia. Through May, 17 people (14 security personnel and
three civilians) have died during this year's manual eradication
operations. In all of 2008, 26 security personnel and civilian
eradicators were killed in manual eradication operations.
7. (SBU) Separate from the GME program, the Colombian Army (COLAR)
and the Colombian National Police (CNP) conducted manual eradication
as part of their normal operations. Through May, COLAR had
eradicated 2,198 hectares of coca, 37 hectares of poppy, and two
hectares of marijuana; the CNP had eradicated 649 hectares of coca,
three hectares of poppy and 31 hectares of marijuana; and the Navy
had eradicated 163 hectares of coca.
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PLAN COLOMBIA HELICOPTER PROGRAM (PCHP)
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8. (SBU) PCHP aircraft flew a total of 657.9 hours in May. PCHP
aircraft operated from Tumaco, San Jose, Larandia, Cucuta, and
Tolemaida performing air assaults and movements, reconnaissance,
medical evacuations, and support missions for the Counterdrug (CD)
Brigade and other vetted COLAR units. Air assaults continued to be
an effective means of increasing security for aerial eradication
spray operations and counternarcotics interdiction operations
conducted by BACNA units of the CD Brigade. PCHP flew 23.2 hours
supporting ten medical evacuation flights that transported 25
patients.
9. (SBU) The PCHP program provided training for the UH-60 and UH-II
aircrews. Two COLAR pilots obtained certification in advanced crew
qualification positions as Standardization Instructor Pilot and
Standardization Maintenance Test Pilot, respectively, marking
another significant advance in the program's nationalization.
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COLOMBIA NATIONAL POLICE (CNP) AIR SERVICE (ARAVI) SUPPORT
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10. (SBU) ARAVI's USG-supported fleet flew 2,085 mission hours in
May. The seven UH-60 Black Hawks flew 250 hours with an Operational
Readiness (OR) rate of 68 percent. The Bell 212 fleet flew 210
mission hours with an OR rate of 64 percent; two Bell 212s still
need to be inducted to the Service Life Extension Program/Rewire.
The Huey II OR rate was 68 percent while flying 948 hours. Two Huey
II aircraft (six percent of the fleet) are currently in reassembly
after undergoing extensive structural repairs. The DC-3 fleet flew
280 hours, with an OR rate of 49 percent.
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INTERDICTION
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11. (SBU) The CNP seized 24 metric tons of cocaine hydrochloride
(HCl) and cocaine base, 11.68 metric tons of marijuana, and 33
kilograms (kgs) of heroin. The CNP also destroyed 32 cocaine HCl
laboratories, 161 coca base laboratories, and captured 1,319 metric
tons of precursor chemicals.
12. (SBU) Highlights for May included the seizure of 10,800 gallons
of solvent (precursor chemical) by the DIRAN (National Police
Antinarcotics Division in its Spanish acronym) Villavicencio Company
at a road check point near Puerto Lopez, Meta on May 2. On May 6,
the DIRAN Chemical Control Group seized 1.7 metric tons of sulfuric
acid and 715 kgs of chloride acid at a control point near Cali. On
May 7, the Santa Marta Junglas destroyed a cocaine HCl laboratory
containing ten kgs of cocaine and 567 kgs of cocaine base near San
Carlos, Antioquia. On May 8, the DIRAN Chemical Control Group seized
6.94 metric tons of sulfuric acid and one ton of carbon soda at a
road check point south of Cali. On May 10, the new DIRAN Northeast
Zone destroyed one cocaine HCl laboratory and four base laboratories
near Convencion, Norte de Santander; DIRAN destroyed over 830 kgs of
cocaine. On May 10-12, the Tulua Junglas destroyed 63 coca base
laboratories near Tumaco, Narino. On May 15, the Bogota Junglas
participated in a joint CNP, Colombian Air Force and Colombian Army
airmobile assault against the FARC 51st Front camp located 26 miles
southwest of Melgar. The CNP found five FARC KIAs and nine weapons
at the camp. On May 16, DIRAN seized twelve go-fast type boats in
Bahia Solano, Choco. On May 17, the DIRAN Chemical Control Group
captured 15.33 metric tons of precursor chemicals at a road
checkpoint near Medellin, Antioquia. Also on May 17, DIRAN
destroyed a cocaine HCl lab located near Puerto Nare, Antioquia. On
May 25, the Santa Marta Junglas seized a criminal band arms cache
containing mortar rounds and small arms ammunition near Caucasia,
Antioquia. On May 27, the Bogota Junglas supported a CNP operation
against the 57th Front leadership, while another Bogota Jungla
element supported a CNP operation against the FARC 10 Front near
Saravena, Arauca. On May 28, the Bogota Junglas captured 100 kgs of
cocaine at a road checkpoint in Bogota. The Jungla Airmobile
companies are providing 12-man reconnaissance and advisory elements
to each of the six manual eradication sites managed by DIRAN.
13. (SBU) On May 12, the DIRAN Regional Intelligence (Cucuta) shared
intelligence with the Venezuelan National Guard Antidrug Command
leading to the destruction of a cocaine HCl laboratory in Tachira,
Venezuela containing 1.5 metric tons of cocaine. On May 27, the
DIRAN Regional Intelligence (Cucuta) again shared intelligence with
the Venezuelan National Guard Antidrug Command leading to the
destruction (by the Venezuelan National Guard) of a major cocaine
laboratory also located in Tachira. This laboratory contained 222
kgs of cocaine and 3.2 metric tons of cocaine base.
14. (SBU) Several DIRAN courses are underway at the Antinarcotics
Police Training Center in Pijaos, Tolima, including the 23-week
Combat Medic Course (40 students); the eight-week Explosives and
Demolitions Course (45 students); and the 18-week Jungla
International Course (106 students). The Jungla International
Course includes 57 Colombian students and 49 foreign students from
12 Latin American countries (Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic,
Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru,
Argentina, and Brazil). The six-week US Army 7 Special Forces
Group's course "Pequenas Unidades" began on April 27 with 45
students. This course focuses on reconnaissance, military
mountaineering and 60mm mortar training.
15. (SBU) On May 28, the Colombian Minister of Defense Santos,
Ambassador Brownfield, and Colombian National Police Director
Naranjo conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the NAS
Bogota-funded (US Army Corps of Engineers-supervised) rural police
training center in Pijaos, Tolima. The USD 6M project has four
104-man barracks, three 40-man classrooms, an administrative
building, a parade field, a warehouse and a kitchen/dining facility.
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BASE SECURITY/ROAD INTERDICTION
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16. (SBU) Upon completion of the one-month Base Defense course in
San Jose de Guaviare that graduated 42 personnel on April 3, the
focus shifted to Tumaco where a six-week course will begin on June
29. This course will have 45 students from various DIRAN, EMCAR and
BRACNA units.
17. (SBU) The parties modified the IDIQ (indefinite
amount/indefinite quantity) Bastion Wall contract for the project at
San Jose de Guaviare (completed on January 15) to include the
installation of three two-story bunker facilities. The La Julia
project began on May 18; the Miraflores project begun in March
continued through the month of May. ACS is the primary contractor
for San Jose del Guaviare and La Julia, and DSS/LLC is the primary
contractor for Miraflores.
18. (SBU) NAS NVD advisor, Carabinero and Jungla inspectors and
maintenance supervisors inspected, serviced and delivered 110 mine
detectors in time for the re-initiation of the manual eradication
efforts. Regular inspections of NVDs continued at El Dorado,
Guaymaral, Facatativa, Espinal, Pijaos, Cespo, Larandia, Santa
Marta, Tulua and DITRA. The program's managers ensured that all of
the 185 NVDs purchased for DICAR in February were inspected,
certified, and delivered to the appropriate DICAR units.
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PORT SECURITY PROGRAM (PSP)
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19. (SBU) In May, DIRAN's Ports and Airports Area (ARPAE) unit
seized 426 kgs of cocaine at the Port of Buenaventura. The same
unit reported 620 kgs to USG authorities that were seized in Panama;
10.4 kgs of cocaine at the Port of Santa Marta; 16.56 kgs of
marijuana and 32.5 kgs (bulk weight) of cocaine at the Port of San
Andres; 30 kgs of cocaine (bulk weight) at the airport of Palmira
(Cali); 1.5 kgs of heroin, 18.8 kgs of marijuana and 1.9 kgs of
cocaine at the airport of Rionegro (Medellin); and 186.26 kgs of
cocaine (bulk weight), 2.6 kgs of heroin and 40 kgs of marijuana at
the Bogota airport. The same unit reported 630 kgs to Mexican
authorities that were seized at the Mexico City airport. Canine
Units participated in five of the seizures above.
20. (SBU) The DIRAN polygraph unit conducted polygraph exams on 64
members of the DIRAN's Interdiction, Administrative, and Ports and
Airports units and supported the Internal Control Group activities
on specific cases. 43 of those tested passed the exam, 17 failed,
and four had inconclusive results. ICE polygraphists tested six
members of this unit - two of them passed, one failed, one was
inconclusive ,and two need to be reviewed by the DOD's Polygraph
Institute.
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COLOMBIAN ARMY COUNTERDRUG (CD) BRIGADE
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21. (SBU) CD Brigade's Second and Third Battalions continue to
directly support aerial eradication and conduct interdiction and
combat operations with FOLs in Tumaco, Narino, and Cucuta Norte de
Santander. In May, the battalions conducted operations against the
FARC's Daniel Aldana Mobil Column, Arturo Ruiz Mobil Column and the
30 Front in Roberto Payan Narino, Lopez de Micay Narino, and La
Tarra Norte de Santander. The brigade secured a total of 10,895
hectares in support of aerial eradication. During various
operations, the battalions located and destroyed 359 kgs of coca
paste, 11 gallons of liquid cocaine, 10 coca paste labs, six enemy
camps; and seized six enemy weapons and drug caches, 5,990 gallons
of liquid precursors, 1,918 kgs of solid precursors, 29 rifles, 48
hand grenades, five sub machine guns, three machine guns, one
mortar, eight pistols, 5,796 rounds of ammunition, eight shotguns,
384 kgs of explosives, 2,280 meters of detonation fuse, 2,680 of
detonation cord, and two FARC computers. The battalions killed four
enemy combatants during operations. During combat operations, two
soldiers were killed and four wounded.
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INDIVIDUAL DEMOBILIZATION PROGRAM
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22. (SBU) The Ministry of Defense's (MOD) demobilization program
received more than 1,200 individuals through May 31, a decrease of
approximately 15-20 percent compared to the same period in 2008.
Reasons for this may be reduced total illegal group membership,
possible controls or countermeasures on members to avoid escape,
relative absence of a communications budget, and/or other
unidentified factors. Program leadership has begun a focus group to
identify areas for improvement in an attempt to jump start desertion
rates. While overall rates were down, ELN (National Liberation Army
in its Spanish acronym) desertion rates increased in part due to a
targeted communications strategy. Large budget shortfalls have been
overcome allowing the MOD to execute contracts with local radio
stations communicating the demobilization message deep into the
countryside. Additionally, the MOD has restarted payments to
individuals to reward them for information, to prevent illegal
recruitments, and to provide psychological assistance to those who
demobilize.
23. (SBU) More than 60 percent of the demobilized members of illegal
armed groups state that their motivations for desertion are abuse by
their commanders and/or pressure from military operations; looking
for a new way of life and ideological differences also play into the
decisions to desert. Information provided by the demobilized is
still one of the best sources of intelligence available to Colombian
security forces.
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ENVIRONMENTAL
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24. (SBU) In May, the interagency complaints committee received 132
new claims of alleged spray damage to legal crops and 113 cases were
closed. We concluded payment to eight complainants for an
approximate total of USD 15,465. Since the beginning of the program
in 2001, 138 complainants have been compensated with a total of
approximately USD 617,230.
25. (SBU) The Timbiqui indigenous community in Cauca claimed that
spray operations occurred in their community on May 5 and that 40
people became ill as the result. The National Institute of Health
(INS) visited the community on May 9, and examined those who were
willing to undergo the medical exam with a local nurse. The nurses
collected bodily fluid samples and INS sent them to a laboratory in
Costa Rica for analysis; we are waiting for the results. After
reviewing spray data, NAS confirmed that spray operations did not
occur on this date.
26. (SBU) The antinarcotics police from the complaint and
verification departments started training on the high resolution ADS
aerial mapping camera recently installed in the NAS ARAVI-supported
C-208 Caravan. This camera will be used for verification and
detection missions, and to verify crop damage complaints. The use
of this camera should decrease the resources and time devoted to
conducting verification missions, and increase the time to verify
crop damages allegedly caused by spray operations.
BROWNFIELD