Peace Timeline: 2002

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

September 22, 2003

The Colombian Army began a round of herbicide fumigations in Arauca. While the fumigation began in earnest on September 19 it was only today that the Commander of the XVIII Brigade, general Carlos Lemus Pedraza, publicly announced it. The fumigation began in the rural area of Arauquita, where the largest areas of coca are believed to be located. Lemus noted that fumigations will also take place in the municipalities of Fortul and Tame, and that approximately 100 hectares a day will be sprayed.

Mobil Brigade Number 5, the anti-narcotics police, the anti-narcotics brigade and the XVIII Brigade - all of them units that have received significant U.S. assistance - took part in the operations. Contract employees hired by U.S. companies also participated in the spraying, serving as pilots and mechanics, among other duties.

El Tiempo reported that peasants in Arauquita tried to reach an agreement with the National Government to manually eradicate the coca. 4,655 hectares of plantain, corn, sugar, yucca and approximately 120,000 head of cattle are estimated to be in the areas likely to be sprayed. However, no agreement was reached before the fumigation campaign began. [ELTIEMPO-ORIENTE]

September 18, 2003

The recent attacks on the energy infrastructure have left Arauca's hospitals without electricity, making it impossible to deal with emergency situations. According to Arauca's Chamber of Commerce, the continuous attacks mean more than 750 million pesos (over US$250,000) in losses for the department. As a preventative measure the governor decreed a department-wide curfew until October 16.

So far this year Arauca has faced more than 30 attacks on its infrastructure and the Araucan population has had no electricity for more than 50 days.

The situation forced extra security precautions; the governor's office prohibited transportation of people and merchandise by road or river between 7:00 pm and 5:00 am for the next 30 days. Additionally, all who enter and leave the region are required to register upon arrival or departure.
[El Tiempo (Colombia) http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1256807.html]

September 17, 2003

Photo: Marc Becker

Illegal armed groups blew up an electric pylon in the area of Gibraltar. The attack forced Arauca to purchase energy from the Venezuelan side of the border for three days. [EL TIEMPO.COM]
September 14, 2003

The Attorney General's office indicted 23 people captured earlier this month in Arauca and charged with narco trafficking and links to the FARC. Among the indicted are air traffic controllers, pilots, retired policemen, mechanics and merchants. They are accused of helping the organization by planting coca leaves, processing them, and selling them in exchange for weapons and ammunition. [El Tiempo]

September 4, 2003

As part of the process to increase the armed forces' presence in border regions, the commander of the Colombian Armed Forces, General Carlos Alberto Ospina, announced the creation of a Special Forces unit in the department of Norte de Santander, the activation of Operative Commando Unit number 18 in Arauca and the activation of a battalion in Puerto Asís (Putumayo). Operative Commando Unit number 18 will be charged with protecting military engineers in the construction of the Tame-Arauca roadway. [CNE (Presidencia de Colombia)
http://www.presidencia.gov.co/cne/2003/septiembre/04/15042003.htm]

September 1, 2003

The FARC blew up an electric pylon near the border with Venezuela, leaving more than 125,000 people in the municipalities of Arauca and Arauquita without electricity. [ELTIEMPO.COM and AFP http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/coar/noticias/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-1237374.html]