---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 10:31:31 -0700
From: Sandra Alvarez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
Subject: Colombia House vote delayed-- still time to act!
Urgent Action: There is still time to pressure offices to support
amendments cutting Colombian military aid and ending fumigation!
The debate in the US House of Representatives over aid to Colombia and the
Andes began last night with an hour of general discussion. The House then
decided to delay debating any amendments until Tuesday morning (July 24).
As you may know, there will be an amendment offered to the bill (HR 2506,
the foreign operations appropriations bill) by Rep. McGovern which will cut
$100 million in military aid to Colombia and transfer it into global health
programs such as TB prevention and child and maternal health. There will
also be an amendment offered by Rep. Conyers which will end fumigation in
Colombia. Because these amendments will not come up until Tuesday, we have
a few extra days to contact offices and urge their support.
If you would like more detailed information on the amendments, please
contact the LAWG office at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 202/546-7010.
The discussion over Colombia policy last night signaled that the debate over
the amendments on Tuesday will be heated. Rep. Pelosi (D-CA) spoke strongly
against our current policy, saying, "if we want to help the Colombian
people, then I think we can find a better way than sending military
assistance to Colombia." Rep. Lowey (D-NY) spoke on fumigation and general
concerns with the policy. She said, "We have begun a campaign of fumigation
without giving farmers ample opportunity to voluntarily eradicate coca
crops. We have realized no benefits from our programs in terms of increased
stability and prosperity in Colombia, and I think we need to take a careful
look at this program before we allow it to continue."
Rep. Delahunt (D-MA) also raised concerns over funding the Colombian
military. He said, "Only a few years ago, the Colombian military had the
worst human rights record in the hemisphere. Until the military is... free
from links to so-called paramilitary groups, it will be a part of the
problem in Colombia rather than the solution."
The Colombian military remains closely tied to illegal paramilitary groups,
who are responsible for over 70% of political killings in Colombia. Urge
your representative to send a clear message by supporting the McGovern
amendment. The US should not give money to a military that so blatantly
violates the human rights and dignity of the Colombian people.
Also, urge them to support the Conyers amendment ending fumigation in
Colombia. The fumigation policy has been ineffective and has only worsened
conditions for farmers in southern Colombia, causing massive displacement,
health problems, and environmental devastation.
If you speak with an office and get a sense of how your representative will
vote, please e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a report.
Elanor Starmer
Latin America Working Group
110 Maryland Ave. NE, Box 15
Washington, DC 20002
202/546-7010 ph
202/43-7647 fax
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
For updates and action alerts on US policy toward Latin America, please see
our website at www.lawg.org <http://www.lawg.org>
For information on US-Colombia policy and related issues, please see
www.colombiapolicy. <http://www.colombiapolicy.org>
__________________________________________________________________________
Fernando Pinzón-Ramírez
e-mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Engenharia Ambiental
Centro de Recursos Hídricos e Ecologia Aplicada
Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos
Universidade de São Paulo
Avenida Trabalhador Sãocarlense, 400 - Caixa Postal 292
13566-590 - São Carlos, SP - BRASIL
URL: http://www.shs.eesc.sc.usp.br/crhea/default.htm
© Copyrigth 2000-2001 - Fernando Pinzón Ramírez
__________________________________________________________________________
=============================================================================
Si necesita retirarse de la lista envie un mensaje a:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
con una unica linea :
unsubscribe r-caldas
Para inscribirse en la lista envie un mensaje a [EMAIL PROTECTED]
con una unica linea :
subscribe r-caldas
Los mensajes que circulan en la lista los puede consultar en :
http://www.mail-archive.com/r-caldas@colciencias.gov.co
