Cablegate: San Jose de Apartado Residents Continue to Return
VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBO #1321 3531631
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191631Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1444
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 8529
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ DEC LIMA 4591
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5249
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3816
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1423
UNCLAS BOGOTA 011321
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS CO
SUBJECT: SAN JOSE DE APARTADO RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO RETURN
HOME; COORDINATED GOC ACTION SHOWS STRONG RESULTS
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Substantial Progress in San Jose de Apartado
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1. GOC officials representing social development (Accion
Social) and human rights (Human Rights Ombudsman) accompanied
Armed Forces Commander General Freddy Padilla de Leon to San
Jose de Apartado (SJA) on December 16 to hold a community
festival aimed at cementing improved GOC relations with local
residents. The two-day festival, attended by over two
thousand local residents, featured a military vallenato music
group, games, gifts, and recognition of local community
leaders. The fair was the first event of its kind to be held
in SJA in fourteen years, with some residents traveling over
four hours on foot to attend. A traveling press contingent
saw the military distributing supplies to residents,
including medical services. San Jose de Apartado was
especially hard-hit by paramilitary violence over the last
decade, with human rights groups reporting that paramilitary
groups have killed more than 150 residents since 1997.
Approximately 250 residents live in the nearby Holandita
peace community, many of whom were targeted by paramilitary
groups, and continue to refuse most GOC services.
2. A large number of former SJA residents who had fled the
region have returned over the last year, in large part due to
better security conditions and a government-built road
linking the community to the municipal capital, Apartado.
Locals told the press that while more needs to be done to
supply electricity and potable water to every village, their
living conditions have improved substantially. They credited
the presence of community police officers with establishing
stability and security. The road--which the GOC is committed
to paving--has revolutionized life in the community by giving
residents access to new educational, economic, and health
opportunities. One said that not long ago it was impossible
to buy even a soda in the community, which was a ghost town,
but added that 20 small businesses have opened in the past
year. GOC officials said the government was investing 10
billion pesos (about USD 500,000) in planting 1,050 hectares
of cacao, which would supplement the 2,300 hectares already
planted.
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Embassy Highlights Security
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3. As part of the Embassy's monitoring of SJA developments,
Polcouns traveled with the GOC team to the municipality. He
emphasized the importance of security for SJA residents to
General Padilla, noting that we had received information from
a human rights group that the Holandita peace community would
be attacked by paramilitaries during the Christmas period.
Padilla noted the report and promised to pass it on to local
security forces. Polcouns also discussed the situation with
the local Accion Social and Human Rights Ombudsman
representatives. Both said violence in the region had been
minimal since the February 2005 killing of 8 residents by
unknown assailants. The Human Rights Ombudsman
representative said there was no recent paramilitary presence
in the region, and noted better community-military ties.
Still, while greatly improved, he said some local residents,
especially in rural areas, continue to complain the military
does not respect them. We will meet with the SJA Human
Rights Ombudsman representative in January when he visits
Bogota.
WOOD