I saw an excellent presentation tonight, by a woman from Columbia. She is a human rights lawyer, and native Columbian. She was talking about “Plan Columbia”, the drug war supported by the Columbian government, but funded and implemented by the United States government primarily through private corporations.Military and Para-military operations are everywhere in Columbia. Tens of thousands of people have been “disappeared”, assasinated, and murdered, by mercernary and guerrilla forces. Jets built by private corporations, but paid for by US taxpayers, are flown in, which spray herbacidal chemicals that are dangerous to humans, and are run out of airports built by private corporations, also financed by U.S. taxpayers. Native populations are forced to privatize their land, so that it can be bought by international investors and venture capitalists.
It was a very moving presentation, but there is no simple answer to the problems raised. The ultimate goal must be to end the military operations. The problem is, the United States government denies that it is a military action, since it is a part of the “War on Drugs.”
An older gentleman also spoke, about his own experiences travelling to Columbia several times in the past few years, to see the situation for himself. When he went, he had to bring two letters from his US Senators telling any potential guerillas, para-military forces, or mercernaries, not to kill him and his wife.
More information can be found at these sites-
Peace,Bill
Plan Columbia
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October 18, 2005 |
Bill Anderson sends the following:
