Congressional Letters, Statements, and Resolutions

"As you are well aware, strengthening human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are principle bipartisan goals of U.S. foreign policy towards Colombia. We are therefore greatly concerned about increased threats and continued attacks against Colombian human rights defenders and other leaders of civil society." Read the full letter (PDF).

"We write to urge you to express your strong support for the United Nations High Comissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Office in Colombia and the full renewal of its existing mandate. We believe the UNHCHR Office in Bogotá, Colombia plays a highly credible and invaluable role in the promotion of human rights in the country." Read the full letter (PDF).

Last week, Reps. Sam Farr and Jim McGovern circulated a letter to Colombia’s President Uribe on drug crop fumigations. In a recent, post-reelection visit to Washington D.C., President Uribe asked the U.S. government to provide additional helicopters and spray planes to Colombia, in order to intensify the aerial fumigation program. Recent State Department figures, however, make clear that aerial fumigation has failed to reduce coca cultivation. In fact, the amount of coca produced in 2005 was greater than the amount of coca produced in 2000, the year Plan Colombia was initiated.

The letter urged President Uribe to support proven alternative development programs, in order to provide Colombians the means to stop growing illicit crops. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that when eradication efforts are combined with assistance for farmers to plant licit—and economically viable—crops, coca production decreases. 35 members of Congress signed on to the letter, sending a strong message to Colombia’s President Uribe. If your representative signed this letter, make sure to call him/her and express your appreciation.

Here's a list of co-signers:

Rep. R. Andrews
Rep. Baldwin
Rep. Clay
Rep. Sherrod Brown
Rep. Fattah
Rep. Frank
Rep. Charles Gonzalez
Rep. Grijalva
Rep. Gutierrez
Rep. Honda
Rep. EB Johnson
Rep. Kilpatrick
Rep. Kind
Rep. Kucinich
Rep. Langevin
Rep. Rick Larsen
Rep. McCollum
Rep. McDermott
Rep. Brad Miller
Rep. Gwen Moore
Rep. Oberstar
Rep. Payne
Rep. Bobby Rush
Rep. Tierny
Rep. Linda Sanchez
Rep. Schakowsky
Rep. Serrano
Rep. Stark
Rep. Waters
Rep. Watson
Rep. Waxman
Rep. Wexler
Rep. Woolsey

"We are writing to ask you to refrain from certifying that the Colombian government meets human rights conditions...until the Colombian Army's 17th Brigade improves its human rights practices. We also believe that certification requires more substantial progress in prosecuting a number of other outstanding cases involving allegations of gross human rights violations." Read the full letter (PDF).