Resources | Colombia | Palestine | Iraq | People of Color | Students| Photos | Links

|What's new | Background | Organizing Tools | Downloads | Archives |

On July 13, 2000, President Clinton signed Plan Colombia into law, making Colombia the third largest recipient of US foreign aid, and a focus of US foreign policy.

Through Plan Colombia and related initiatives, the U.S. has invested nearly three billion dollars in Colombia's civil war. Most of the aid is attack helicopters, weaponry, hi-tech surveillance planes and equipment. Much of the money outfits and trains "counter-narcotics batallions" for a Push into Southern Colombia. These batallions combat left-wing guerrillas, and they include soldiers who violate the human rights of Colombian civilians. More than 2000 US military personnel are stationed in Colombia, providing direct support to the Colombian government in the counter-insurgency war.

Every budget cycle has included new increases in aid to Colombia and neighboring countries. In 2003, using the "War on Terror" as a justification, the Bush Administration won more increases in military aid and involvement, including a $100 million military aid project to protect an oil pipeline in Northern Colombia. That money was attached directly to the Bush request for funds for the war in Iraq!

Colombian human rights, labor & other activists are calling for an END to U.S. military aid & intervention, because it fuels a war against civilians. Paramilitary death squads work hand-in-hand with the Colombian military, and reap the benefits of US military aid. The paramilitaries, along with the military, are responsable for 80% of Colombia's human rights violations (the worst in Latin America). Political assassinations and disappearances are all to common, and trade Unionists are the hardest hit. US corporations even employ paramilitary groups to intimidate, threaten and murder Colombian union leaders. Coca-Cola is now the subject of an international boycott campaign, because of its use of violence against its union workers.

The Anti-War Committee works to support progressive forces in Colombia, to end U.S. intervention and stop U.S. military aid to the Colombian Government. We are organizing and educating and working to build a broad movement of activists who are willing to speak out and take a stand. Feel free to join us.

Anti-War Committee 1313 5th Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 612.379.3899 * info@antiwarcommittee.org Give us your FeedBack | Subscribe to our listserve