Peace Timeline: 2002

U.S. Military and Police Aid - Focus on Arauca and Putumayo:Timeline of Current Events Arauca:
October 2003

October 27, 2003

Arauca saw massive voter turnout despite the tense security situation. Before the doors opened, dozens of people stood in line at the different voting locations throughout the department's capital.
Even with numerous and rigorous police controls, authorities estimated that by noon more than 12,000 people had cast their vote for local government officials on October 26, a stark contrast from the 25th, when - as elsewhere in the country - turnout for the referendum was quite low. [WILSON FERNANDO VEGA , Enviado especial de EL TIEMPO ARAUCA]

October 24, 2003

A bomb destroyed Fortul's stadium, where voting for the government-sponsored referendum and local elections was scheduled to occur the following two days. [El tiempo, Efe]

October 23, 2003

An editorial published by the Colombian daily El Tiempo highlighted that often, people in the country's conflictive zones do not favor the armed groups because of allegiance to them but because of fear. The writer notes that while the guerrillas may have extensive networks of collaborators in towns and cities and in some cases have enormous power over local administrations, "what for the distant Bogotá state may seem like collaboration, at the local level is often just a matter of survival. While there are cases of open complicity, in large areas of the country it is impossible to govern without negotiating, or at least speaking to the local commander in charge."

The author points out that this phenomenon can be changed with a democratic approach which looks at each case individually and strengthens local leaders' capacity to govern by seeking to "win the hearts and minds" of the civilian population. "Massive detentions, like those in Arauca and Vichada, should be a last resort."

While there have been clear advances in the fight against the armed actors, "getting Arauca back should be a priority, which requires a persistent political and military effort where stigmas and witch hunts should be avoided." [El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/opinion/reda/2003-10-23/index.html]

October 22, 2003

Government authorities say that three demobilized guerrillas played a pivotal role in the

processes against the detained politicians. According to Jorge Noguera, Director of Colombia's Department of Administrative Security (DAS), there is enough evidence--both documented and testimonies-- to accuse those captured of supporting the guerrillas.

According to government officials the declarations given by three former guerrillas where key in bringing the case together. They told authorities "practically all of Arauca's public entities had been infiltrated by the guerrillas."

Attorney General Luis Camilo Osorio stated that all those captured in operation "Dignity" are charged with rebellion and added, "as we move forward we will be verifying other punishable conducts."
[El Espectador (Colombia) http://www.elespectador.com/judicial/nota1.htm]

October 21, 2003

· Colombian authorities arrested 29 local politicians, among them the mayor of Arauca City, Jorge Cedeño, on suspicion of links to leftist rebels. Also arrested were candidates for the October 26 municipal and provincial elections.

Gen. Eduardo Morales, commander of the army's second division, told Reuters that "intelligence reports have indicated links with subversives which have to be cleared up, which is why arrest warrants were issued," [Reuters Yahoo! http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031022/wl_nm/colombia_arrests_dc_1]

October 20, 2003

According to an army press release, military operations carried out in the municipalities of Saravena and Fortul killed four FARC guerrillas in combat. [El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1290885.html ]

October 17, 2003

· After the two recent car bombs in Arauca the governor's office announced a Security Council meeting to analyze the department's security situation. Attending were the police and army commanders, members of the Procuraduría and the Public Defender's office. The meeting discussed whether or not it is necessary to restrict motorcycle traffic and gas cylinder transportation throughout the department. In addition, to placing a curfew and prohibiting alcohol sales in the department's seven municipalities. [El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1288642.html]

October 16, 2003

A car bomb exploded at a military roadblock in Fortul. The explosion occurred when the truck refused to stop at the military roadblock at the entrance of town. The driver of the truck was killed, and a soldier and three civilians were wounded. Army Colonel Luis Alcides Morales, police commander for the department, added that the explosives were hidden in a shipment of plantains. Reports do not identify the victims or attribute responsibility for the attack. [El Tiempo http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1287554.html]

U.S. NGO Common Cause denounced the benefits that some U.S. contracting companies have received to protect the Caño Limón pipeline because of their links to the Bush Administration. Common Cause specifically pinpointed those businessmen who raised funds for George W. Bush's presidential campaign and later profited when the administration requested $100 million dollars to protect the Colombian pipeline.
According to the NGO, Roger Hirl -who raised more than US$100,000 for the 2000 Bush campaign, was president of Occidental Chemicals and Executive Vice-president of Occidental Petroleum when Congress approved US$99 million to train and equip the 18th Brigade in Arauca. This unit is charged with protecting the Caño Limón pipeline, which is 44 percent owned by Occidental Petroleum.

Common Cause did not directly accuse Hirl of influence-peddling, but it did highlight the relationship between a person who raises considerable funds for a presidential campaign and later benefits from a political decision of the elected government. [Common Cause, "Who Are the Pioneers, and What Did They Get?" http://www.commoncause.org/justwatch/pioneers.cfm?mode=pioneer&pioneerID=12; Sergio Gómez Maseri, El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/judi/2003-10-16/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1286956.html]

October 14, 2003

Photo: Marc Becker

Five women were injured when a car bomb exploded in Saravena. According to the official report, the explosion occurred when a military patrol was making its way through sector of town known as San Luis. As of last night local authorities had no clear indication as to who had carried out the attack. [El Tiempo]

October 13, 2003

· According to a recently published report by the Public Defender's office, 198 mayors in Colombia are currently threatened by paramilitaries or guerrillas. The report highlights the critical situation faced by local authorities in Arauca, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Guaviare, La Guajira, Nariño and Quindío, where the FARC have threatened 80 percent of local leaders. [El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1283809.html]