June 28, 2007

We're on a roll! Thanks to your great work, H. RES. 426 for internally displaced persons in Colombia passed the House foreign affairs committee by voice vote earlier this week. The resolution seeks to bring attention to those forced by violence to flee their homes and calls for increased aid to help them rebuild their lives. Please contact your representative over the next two weeks and ask them to support H. RES. 426 when it comes to the House floor.

Rep. Langevin is now circulating a dear colleague letter to President Uribe that highlights the alarming increase in politically-motivated attacks against human rights organizations in Colombia. Click here to read the letter. During the first two weeks of June, the offices of Fellowship of Reconciliation and Justapaz - a partner organization and close ally, respectively - were broken into. Computers containing sensitive information on peace and church workers were stolen. Since the loss of this information has put our partners and allies in serious danger, we ask you to call your representative immediately through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and urge them to sign on to this important letter to President Uribe.

Although we plan to continue celebrating our hard won victory in the House, it is now time to shift our attention to securing a positive new direction for Colombia in the Senate. Since the foreign aid bill won't come before the full Senate until late July, now is the perfect time to contact your senator (or schedule a visit with their office!) and ask them to support this new approach in aid to Colombia. Encourage them to provide greater assistance to help Colombia's victims of violence, to strengthen the justice system, to provide real economic alternatives to small farmers, and to cut military aid.