Re: Self Determination. Support It! / A Reply to Anthony

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Colombia is a litmus test for US activists.

This article is from the Summer 2000 edition of Fight Back! newspaper.

Growing Movement Demands U.S. Out Of Colombia!
By Zeno Wood

New York City, NY - Some 75 protestors held a spirited demonstration in
Manhattan, May 11, demanding Senator Chuck Schumer vote against the
$1.7 billion Colombia military aid bill. Schumer, a Democrat, had
indicated his support for the Clinton Administration's military aid
package, which would dramatically increase the U.S. role in the
Colombian civil war. Protesters chanted, "Schumer, don't be a death
squad democrat!"

The Colombia Action Committee, a group that recently formed to oppose
the U.S. military aid, organized the action. The committee has reached
hundreds of people, with educational events, and political pressure
with call-ins and protests targeting New York Senators Moynihan and
Schumer.

Endorsing organizations included the committee against the School of
the Americas, the Nicaragua Network, NY Committee in Solidarity with
the People of El Salvador. "We're putting them on notice that we're
going to fight them every step of the way!" said Carolyn Connelly, an
organizer of the demonstration.

Under the guise of fighting a "drug war," the Clinton Administration
wants to step up its intervention in the 40 year long Colombian civil
war. Currently the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla army
(Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) are holding peace
negotiations; military aid will sabotage any efforts at peace.

The military aid bill proposes more U.S. training for the Colombian
Army, which has the worst human rights record in the Americas. Special
battalions would be created to invade guerrilla strongholds in the
southern part of the country. It also proposes sending hi-tech attack
helicopters, and increasing the U.S. role in electronic surveillance.

The result would be a total war on the people of Colombia, who already
face massacres every week. They can only exercise democratic rights at
the risk of being jailed, tortured, disappeared, or killed.

In the next few months, more pressure is going to be needed to let
Congress and Clinton know that there's real opposition to sending more
bullets to Colombian Army thugs. The people of Colombia have a right to
self-determination. No military aid for Colombia! U.S. out now!

The Colombia Action Network website is at
http://www.freespeech.org/actioncolombia

Louis Proyect

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