Fwd: Time is up for Plan Colombia. Act Now!

[Guest guest]

Time is up for Plan Colombia. Act now!

 

Next week, Congress will vote on more money for the next phase of Plan Colombia

- as much as $750 million for 2006. The six-year policy of mostly military aid

expires this year, and new money won't rescue a failed plan. Until there is a

plan that can bring hope for Colombia, we reject additional funding for futile

military strategies.

 

Colombia legislation is now making its way through the House. We have bad and

good news about its progress so far, and NOW is the time to act to cut US

military aid to Colombia.

 

The bad news: the House foreign operations subcommittee, in drafting the first

version of the bill on June 16, granted the Bush Administration’s full request

for military aid to Colombia. The good news: the committee rejected a request

from some Republican leaders for an additional $130 million in military/police

aid for aerial fumigation of coca crops.

 

The time to act is NOW. Urge members of Congress to create an opening for peace

by supporting an amendment to cut military spending. Urge your representative to

vote YES on Rep. Farr’s amendment, or any amendment to the FY2006 Foreign

Operations Appropriations Bill that cuts military aid to Colombia. It's critical

that we make our voices heard at this point in the process!

 

Before or on June 27th, call your member of Congress and urge support for any

amendments to the FY2006 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill that cut

military aid to Colombia. (Call the congressional directory at 202-224-3121 or

click here to identify your member of Congress.)

 

Here's a sample script for the call - modify it to personalize your message:

 

“I am a constituent calling about Colombia amendments to the upcoming foreign

operations appropriations bill. I would like Representative ________ to support

a new policy toward Colombia, and I urge him/her to vote YES on any amendments

that cut funding to the Andean Counterdrug Initiative in Colombia, or that cut

military aid and transfer it to social aid. Given the failure to achieve any of

its objectives, Plan Colombia should not be reauthorized; it should be replaced

by a policy that works. Drug crop fumigation in Colombia has not helped lessen

the price or availability of drugs on U.S. streets, and direct human rights

violations by the Colombian military have increased since U.S. aid began in

2000. We need a major shift away from fumigation and military aid, and toward

alternative development programs and aid to displaced families. I would like

Representative _______ to vote to change this policy, and to prioritize social

assistance instead of military aid.”

 

More talking points: Click here for more talking points on cutting military aid

to Colombia. Visit http://peaceincolombia.org for more information.

 

See the flash movie! This week is a week of action for peace in Colombia! View

the flash movie and send an automated fax to your representative by visiting

http://peaceincolombia.org and clicking on “Watch the PeaceInColombia movie” in

the action box.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your continued work for justice! Please feel free to contact us in

the SOA Watch office with questions at 202-234-3440 or by email at

info.

 

 

 

 

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