February 20, 2007

Learn how to Take Action!

Presidents Bush and Uribe recently announced that they are proposing a "Plan Colombia 2" - five more years of the same bad policy! The Bush Administration is asking Congress to approve nearly $450 million in military aid to Colombia in this year's foreign aid bill. This will be up to Congress to decide, so constituent meetings with members of Congress, particularly with new members, are more important now than ever.

The idea of extending the current U.S. role in Colombia is truly scary. Despite worsening human rights abuses by the Colombian military, the forced displacement of more than 3 million Colombians, and inhumane and utterly ineffective aerial spraying programs, the Bush Administration wants more of the same. The Administration's plan would maintain approximately the same levels of military and police aid for Colombia through 2013: $446 million a year, which represents 76% of the total aid package. (You can read more about the Administration's proposal on Adam Isacson's weblog, of the Center for International Policy: http://www.cipcol.org/archives/000405.htm).

The one factor that is significantly different this year is the new Congress. Although the Bush Administration has proposed this plan, it is up to Congress to fund it each year. There will be resistance in Congress to continuing this failed policy, and it is up to us to make sure that members of the House and Senate take strong stances against it. We need to tell Congress that we support social aid to Colombia that will alleviate the humanitarian crisis, not military aid to fuel Colombia's war. This year we have the best chance we've ever had to change the course of U.S. policy in Colombia.

Take Action!

Congress will soon draft the appropriations bill that will determine whether or not Bush's priorities for aid to Colombia are approved.

Contact your members of Congress! Meet with your members of Congress, or if you can't do that, call their offices (202-224-3121). Let them know that they should not approve more military aid for Colombia.

Tell your represenative and senators that aid to Colombia should:

• Be shifted to increase social aid, and drastically reduce military aid. The Colombian military has been implicated in numerous acts of human rights abuse, and there is increasing evidence of collusion with illegal and brutal paramilitaries. Colombia has more than 3 million internally displaced persons who could benefit from this aid.
• Support alternative development for rural farmers, NOT fumigation. We should also invest in drug treatment programs at home to reduce the demand for drugs.
  Assist Colombia in working toward a lasting peace. U.S. aid to Colombia should support the victims of the conflict, judicial reform, and alleviation of the humanitarian crisis. It should not continue to fund the war.
• Ask your member of Congress to tell the chair of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee that aid priorities to Colombia should be significantly shifted. In the House the chair is Rep. Nita Lowey (NY), and in the Senate it is Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT).

If your representative or senator is new in Congress, or if s/he is on the Appropriations Committee (find out here -- House, Senate), you can play a key role in changing the policy. Schedule a meeting or make your phone call today! (202-224-3121) If you need any help or have any questions, e-mail Jennifer.