Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Colombia Action Network to cut off all aid to Colombia’s death squad government.

Dear Supporters,

There is a growing debate in Congress concerning Plan Colombia. There needs to be an end to U.S. military aid to Colombia. The almost $5 billion the U.S. has sent in military aid since 2000 has had horrendous results in Colombia. It has paid for military and para-military human rights abuses including massacres, disappearances, kidnapping and threats to social justice and labor activists and their families.

Some in the Latin America solidarity movement are calling for a shift in funding from military aid to humanitarian aid. However, the Colombia Action Network does not support a call for ‘humanitarian aid’ in lieu of military aid. Repeatedly over the past seven years, the Colombian social movement has demanded that the government spend money on social services rather than war. The movement has also demanded that the U.S. stop sending military aid and advisors to Colombia. The movement has not called for the U.S. to send humanitarian aid because they know that the Colombian government would not increase social spending. The Colombian government would instead just use the funds to offset more military spending. As long as the Colombian government spends their resources fighting, killing and torturing the Colombian people the solidarity movement in the U.S. should demand an end to all aid – both military and ‘humanitarian’ – to Colombia.

Now is a key time to end Plan Colombia. Between the Uribe’s and Chiquita’s death squad scandals and the unpopularity of Bush’s foreign policy in general, the Democrats are considering ending Plan Colombia. We need to stand together to say a clear “no” to aid to Colombia. Please do everything you can to demand an end to Plan Colombia. Call Congress at 202-224-3121 or go www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. Thanks for your support.

Peace,

Meredith Aby

Colombia Action Network

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