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    Defense leaders gather in Belize to discuss Central American security

    SAN PEDRO, BELIZE

    05.06.2011

    Story by Michael Wimbish   

    U.S. Southern Command

    SAN PEDRO, Belize – A month after telling U.S. lawmakers that Central America has quickly become a hotbed for violent illicit traffickers, U.S. Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser, commander of U.S. Southern Command, met with security leaders from the region to discuss proposals and cooperative solutions to counter the growing threat.

    The discussions were part of the two-day Central American Security Conference 2011 that included security and defense leaders from 11 Western Hemisphere nations. The annual conference, held May 3-5, was sponsored by SOUTHCOM and hosted by Belize Defense Forces.

    “The issue that impacts all of our sovereignty is a non-traditional threat, and that is the threat of these transnational criminal organizations [TCOs] and their illicit activity and the violence it brings,” said Fraser during his opening remarks.

    The conference focused on how regional security forces can better tie their efforts together to counter TCOs and the illicit trafficking of drugs, humans and weapons in Central America that form the backbone of their existence.

    “These are important forums that we all share and the Central American Security Conference is, I think this year, as vital as any as we have had in the past,” said Fraser. “None of us has the individual resources to individually solve this problem. It is only by pooling our resources, coordinating our efforts, [that we can] really attack this problem.”

    The general consensus among participants was that improving information sharing between each nation’s security forces would significantly enhance efforts to counter TCO activities.

    During the conference, Fraser noted that if all the regional nations don’t effectively work together, the burden of the threat will shift from nation to nation as TCOs adapt to the ebb and flow of individual nations’ security efforts.

    “[TCOs] are adaptive. And we have seen over the years that as we collectively and internationally work to solve a problem in one location, they move to another location and intensify their efforts there… going to a place where they can conduct their activity with the least resistance,” said Fraser.

    U.S. military efforts are one part of an overarching U.S. government effort to counter the threat of illicit traffickers in Central America.

    David Zimov, director of policy, pans and cordination for the U.S. State Department’s Western Hemisphere Affairs, briefed the attendees on the newly launched Central American Region Security Initiative. The State Department initiative aims to increase citizen safety in the region, disrupt the movement and activities of TCO’s between nations and enhance security cooperation among nations in the region.

    Zimov stated that CARSI is one of four U.S.-led security assistance initiatives now underway in the western hemisphere. The other initiatives are the Merida Initiative to assist Mexico, the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, and support to Colombian internal security efforts.

    Joining the U.S. and Belize during CENTSEC were officials from Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Panama. Representatives from the Conference of Central American Armed Forces, the U.S. State Department, U.S. Northern Command, Joint Interagency Task Force-South and the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies also took part in the conference.

    Traditionally, the location of the CENTSEC conference rotates among countries of the region. Last year the conference was held in Guatemala.

    Last month during House and Senate testimony, Fraser stressed the dangers of the growing TCO threat in the northern triangle formed by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

    “[TCOs] do not respect national sovereignty, laws, governments or human life. Nowhere is this more evident than in Central America, which is besieged by gangs and transnational criminal organizations, who conduct illicit trafficking with near impunity,” Fraser told the House Armed Service Committee March 30. “The direct result of their activity is unprecedented levels of violence and an erosion of citizen safety.

    The northern triangle of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras is the deadliest zone in the world outside of war zones."

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.06.2011
    Date Posted: 05.06.2011 22:14
    Story ID: 70006
    Location: SAN PEDRO, BZ

    Web Views: 274
    Downloads: 0

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