DECLASSIFIED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE INTERAGENCY SECURITY CLASSIFICATION APPEALS PANEL E O 13526 SECTION 5 3 b 3 ISCAP APPEAL NO 2011-094 document no 1 DECLASSIFICATION DATE September 29 2014 -SfeRf6FPrinted By O 'ACTION INR-00 INFO LOG-00 INLB-01- ARA-01 INL-01 TEDEo-00 URL-09 R 2822172 OCT 96 FM USOAO BOGOTA TO DIA WASHINGTON DC INFO SECSTATE WASHDC ARA INL CIA WASHDC USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM SW2- IICSQUTH DIA REP SECTION Ol OF 02 SERIAL COUNTRY U U 012W ---755392 2822202 38 Withheld-from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 O COLOMBIA CO SUB1 PDATE ON COLOMBIAN ARMY RELATIONS WITH PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS U WARNING U THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE REPORT CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 001 U 961008 I E O 13526 section 1 4 c d SUMMARY 4 1 REPORT REVIEWS THE CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT OF ARMY RELATIONS MIT PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS THERE IS NO KNOWN NATIONAL-LEVEL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THESE GROUPS LOCAL COMMANDERS OFTEN FIND IT FOOLHARDY NOT TO MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH THESE GROUPS USOAOBOGOT 01 OF 02 10282217 TEXT 1 46- - THERE IS NO KNOWN OFFICIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COLOMBIAN ARMY COLAR AND THE VARIOUS PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS WHICH OPERATE THROUGHOUT PARTS OF COLOMBIA NEVERTHELESS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL COLAR COMMANDERS OFTEN ENTER INTO DISCREET MARRIAGES OF CONVENIENCE WITH THESE-GROUPS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING ONGOING GUERRILLA ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN THEIR AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY LOCAL COMMANDERS GENERALLY FIND IT FOOLHARDY NOT TO MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH THESE GROUPS 2 JW DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN SELF-DEFENSE GROUPS CONSIDERED GOOD --USUALLY CONTROLLED BY WEALTHY LANDOWNERS AND PARAMILITARY GROUPS CONSIDERED BAD -USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH NARCOTRAFFICKING OR OTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS OFTEN BLURRED ALTHOUGH BOTH GROUPS ARE ILLEGAL THEY OFTEN OPERATE QUIETLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO ELIMINATE GUERRILLA ACTIVITY IN THEIR AR A- ---1 rR BEI LOCALAQEA NEMBEoRS OF SELF-DEFEN5 1 GROUPS KNOW WHO Withheld from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 SEGFtEF I Printed By Withheld from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 THE SUSPICIOUS OUTSIDERS ARE AND TARGET THEM ACCORDINGLY THESE GROUPS ARE OFTEN MORE EFFECTIVE IN ELIMINATING GUERRILLA ACTIVITY THAN THE COLAR BECAUSE OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WHD THE BAD GUYS ARE 3 W LOCAL COLAR COMMANDERS USUALLY MEET DISCREETLY WITH MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS BECAUSE OF THESE DISCREET LOCAL MEETINGS THERE IS LITTLE FEAR BY EITHER SIDE OF THE ASSOCIATION BECOMING KNOWN PUBLICLY KNOWN MAKING THE NEWSPAPER BOTH PARTIES CAN CLAIM IGNORANCE OF ANY OFFICIAL ASSOCIATION ALL PARTIES INVOLVED ARE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE ILLEGAL NATURE OF THESE GROUPS THE MILITARY CANNOT OPENLY ASSOCIATE WITH THEN 4 w MEANWHILE THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE'S HOD 11CONVIVIR11 PROGRAM WHICH ORGANIZES AND REGISTERS NTINUES TO BE INEITSCOUNTTEERtGUEERRILLA EFFORTS THAN NOR_H0O-AFFILIATCUL SELF-DEFENSE GROUPS THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH CONVIVIRIS DIRECT ASSOCIATION WITM THE MOD DETRACTS FROM ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN COMBATTING GUERRILLAS THIS STIGMA ARISES FROH BEING OPENLY AFFILIATED WITH THE HOD BECAUSE OF THIS AFFILIATION CONVIVIR GROUPS ARE UNDER GREATER PUBLIC SCRUTINYAESTRAINT THAN NON-MOD-AFFILIATED SELF OEFENSE'GROUPS E O 13526 section 1 4 c d 2 U THIS SOURCE IS AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER CONTACT ALTHOUGH ALL OFFICERS ARE AWARE IT ASSOCIATE WITH THEM HOST WOULD RATHER 14 ILLEGAL QUIETLY COOPERATE WITH THESE GROUPS WHICH USUALLY SHARE THE OBJECTIVE OF ELIMINATING GUERRILLA ACTIVITY THAN IGNORE THEM MOST COLAR OFFICERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INTERACTING WITH A PARAMILITARY GROUP CAN 8E A DOUBLEEDGED SWORD SOME PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONS ARE USMOGOT 02 OF 02 10282217 DOMINATED BY INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN NARCOTRAFFICKING AND OTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES MOST COLAR OFFICERS CLAIM THEY WOULD NEVER ASSOCIATE WITH GROUPS INVOLVED IN THESE TYPES OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES 5 T EMBASSY COMMENT THIS IS AN INFORMED AHD HONEST ASSESSMENT OF AN AMORPHOUS ISSUE WHICH IS EQUALLY DISTURBING AND HARD TO NAIL GOWN PROFESSIONAL MILITARY DOCTRINE MAY BE TO KEEP THE PARAMILITARIES AT AR11S LENGTH BUT THE REALITY IS OVERWHELMINGLY OTHERWISE AND EVERYBODY INCLUDING THE TOP BRASS KNOWS IT THE CLAIMED DENIABILITY ATTAINED BY THIS HOLLOW CHARADE IS NOT WORTH A TIN NICKEL AND N SHOULD GIVE IT SCANT CREDENCE OFTEN THE PARAHILITARIES ARE EITHER PART-TIME NARCOTRAFFICKERS THEMSELVES LIKE THE INFAMOUS CASTANO BROTHERS RUNNING THE AUTO DEFENSAS VE URABA Y CORDOBA OR BANKROLLED BY RICH LANDOWNERS WHO INCLUDE NARCOTAAFFICKERS WHILE AN UNSAVORY LOT BY MOST ACCOUNTS THE PARAMILITARIES ARE ETCHING OUT A GROWING NICHE IN THE FWD CHAIN OF VIOLENCE FOR ONE REASON -FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THOSE WHO FINANCE THEM AND MY -5E RER 2 Withheld from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 SECRET Printed By I Withheld from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 OF THOSE WHO LIVE WHERE THEY OPERATE PARAMILITARIES FILL A VICIOUS VACUUM THEY WORK THEY HAVE COM MITY -CONNECTIONS THEY CAN SPOT LIKELY GUERRILLA SUPPORTERS AND TAKE RUTHLESS ACTION TO THE DESPAIR OF THE INNOCENT ALONG WITH THE GUILTY INSTEAD OF HUNKERING DOWN TO SERVE OUT THEIR TOUTS AND GO HOME THEY ARE TOO WELL PAID AND TOO LOCALLY INVESTED TO CUT AND RUM WHEN THINGS GET HOT ONE CANNOT CONDONE THE PARAMILITARIES FOR A SECOND AND HE DO HOT BUT OVER HALF OF THE MUHTRY'S 1 029 MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALREADY SUBJECT TO PERMANENT GUERRILLA PRESSURE TO ONE DEGREE-OR ANOTHER AND THE SITUATION IS DETERIORATING WHOEVER NEEDS AND CAN AFFORD A PRIVATE ARMY WILL BUY ONE ARM IT AND GIVE IT THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE PROFITABLE UNTIL THE URBAN-BASED POLITICAL CLASS MARSHALS THE WILL TO INVEST IN COHMNITY-ROOTED BUT NATIONALLY ACCOUNTABLE -- LOCAL SECURITY FORCES THIS WILL NOT CHANGE IN THE MEANTIME THE GUERRILLA PROBLE14 OF FOUR DECADES STANDING WILL NOT GO AWAY Withheld from public release by Defense Intelligence Agency under statutory authority of the Department of Defense 10 USC 424 3 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu