Call to End Plan Colombia

June 15, 2007

Dear Supporters,

There is a growing debate in Congress concerning Plan Colombia. There needs to be an end to US military aid to Colombia. The almost 5 billion dollars the US 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 of social justice and labor activists and their families.

The movement in Colombia, including large agricultural workers union of FENSUAGRO, is demanding that the US stop sending military aid and advisors to Colombia. As long as the Colombian government spends their resources fighting, killing, and torturing the Colombian people the solidarity movement in the US should demand an end to all aid – both military and “humanitarian” – to Colombia.

Now is a key time to end Plan Colombia. The foreign aid bill is set to go to the floor of the House on June 20th. Between the Colombian President Uribe’s and Coca-Cola, Chiquita and Drummond’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. Thanks for your support.

Peace,
,
Meredith Aby & Tom Burke
Colombia Action Network

P.S. When you call, ask to speak with the foreign policy aide. Here is a sample script for your call:

"I am a constituent calling to encourage Rep. _________ to vote for NO funds for Colombia in this year's foreign aid bill. It is critical that we change our policy with Colombia - for the past seven years, almost 5 billion dollars were sent through Plan Colombia. This money has been spent supporting a brutal right wing government which uses death squads to kill & intimidate trade unionists, human rights workers & peasants. I support an end to US support for the Uribe government. Please vote against any amendments to the bill which would increase US aid to Colombia."