FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1397
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
AMEMBASSY CARACAS
AMEMBASSY LIMA
AMEMBASSY QUITO
DEA WASHDC
DIA WASHDC
DIRONDCP WASHDC
USCINCSO MIAMI FL//SCJ2/POLAD//

DEPT OF STATE AIR WING PATRICK AFB FL
US INTERDICTION COORD WASHDC

UNCLAS LA PAZ 004988

STATE FOR INL, INL/LP, WHA/AND, AND DRL/BA
TAGS: SNAR, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SOCI, BL

SUBJECT: COCALERO KILLED DECEMBER 6 IN VIOLENT CONFRONTATION WITH SECURITY FORCES IN THE CHAPARE; ANOTHER CAMPESINO WOUNDED NOVEMBER 20 DIES DECEMBER 4

1. SUMMARY: ON DECEMBER 6, AT APPROXIMATELY 1545, TWO CAMPESINOS WERE SHOT DURING A SKIRMISH WITH COUNTERNARCOTICS SECURITY FORCES THAT WERE TRYING TO REMOVE A BLOCKADE OP BANANAS AND PINEAPPLES FROM THE MAIN ROAD IN CHIMORE. ONE CAMPESINO DIED IN THE CHIMORE HOSPITAL AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES. ANOTHER CAMPESINO, WHO HAD BEEN IN A COMA SINCE A VIOLENT CLASH WITH SECURITY FORCES IN THE CHAPARE NOVEMBER 20, DIED DECEMBER 4. END SUMMARY.

2. AT APPROXIMATELY 1545, ON DECEMBER 6, A GROUP OF CAMPESINOS BELONGING TO THE CHIMORE FEDERATION ATTEMPTED TO BLOCK THE MAIN ROAD IN CHIMORE (THE COCHABAMBA/SANTA CRUZ HIGHWAY) USING HUNDREDS OF STALKS OF BANANAS AND THOUSANDS OF LOOSE PINEAPPLES AS MATERIAL FOR A BLOCKADE. PERSONNEL OF THE CHAPARE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (FEC), HAVING BEEN PRE-WARNED, ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR THE ROAD AS IT WAS BEING BLOCKED. AS THE CROWD GREW LARGER AND STARTED TO THREATEN THE SECURITY FORCES, THE POLICE WHO WERE SUPPORTING THE OPERATION USED TEAR GAS IN AN EFFORT TO DISPERSE THE CROWD. THE CROWD BECAME ONE LARGE MASS AS THE CAMPESINOS CONTINUED TO ADVANCE ON THE FEC CAUSING BOTH CAMPESINOS AND SECURITY FORCES TO RECEIVE THE FULL EFFECT OF THE GAS. ADDITIONAL SECURITY FORCES, EQUIPPED WITH HOMEMADE RIOT BATONS, WERE CALLED IN TO HELP DISPERSE THE CROWD. AT ONE POINT, APPARENTLY FEELING THREATENED, SOME MILITARY MEMBERS FIRED INTO THE CROWD RESULTING IN INJURIES TO TWO CAMPESINOS.

3. FRUCTUOSO HERBAS WAS WOUNDED SLIGHTLY ABOVE HIS RIGHT ANKLE. CASIMIRO HUANCA, THE MAIN COCALERO LEADER FOR THE CHIMORE FEDERATION RECEIVED A GUNSHOT WOUND IN THE GROIN ON THE LEFT SIDE THAT EXITED HIS LEFT THIGH APPARENTLY SEVERING AN ARTERY. HUANCA DIED A SHORT TIME LATER AT THE CHIMORE HOSPITAL. (NOTE: CASIMIRO HUANCA WAS CONSIDERED A DIE-HARD COCALERO IN EVO MORALES CAMP. END NOTE.)

4. THE MILITARY MEMBERS ADMITTED FIRING BUT STATED CATEGORICALLY THAT THEY FIRED INTO THE GROUND AS THEY ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO. ONE ADMITTED FIRING INTO THE AIR AS A MEANS OF ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE CROWD. (NOTE: THE WOUND RECEIVED BY HUANCA APPEARED TO BE FROM A LARGE CALIBER WEAPON, PRODUCING A LARGE ENTRY AND EXIT. END NOTE.)

5. THE FEC COMMANDER HAS REQUESTED A SUMMARY INQUIRY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CIRCUMSTANCES MERITED THE USE OF FIREARMS.

6. MEANWHILE, ANDRES AGUILAR CONDORI, 36, A CAMPESINO SEVERELY INJURED NOVEMBER 20 IN VIOLENT CLASHES BETWEEN DEMONSTRATORS AND SECURITY FORCES IN THE CHAPARE, DIED DECEMBER 4 AFTER BEING IN A COMA FOR OVER TWO WEEKS.

7. COMMENT: THIS IS A PARTICULARLY REGRETTABLE INCIDENT AT THIS TIME. THE CHAPARE HAD BEEN, SINCE NOVEMBER 21, RELATIVELY QUIET AND MORALES FORCES HAD BEEN UNABLE TO REGAIN ANY INITIATIVE. NOW, A STRONG MORALES SUPPORTER HAS BEEN KILLED, APPARENTLY BY THE MILITARY. WHETHER THE COCALEROS WILL SEEK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS INCIDENT AND REGAIN SOME OF THE MOMENTUM THEY HAVE LOST IS THE KEY QUESTION.

DUDDY