Archived
Legislative Updates: June -August 2003
The
Bush administration squeaked through an addition of $104 million
in military aid to Colombia within the $75 billion Iraqi package.
A Colombian amendment to cut the additional aid money was
defeated by a vote of 209-216. This close margin represents
a 17-vote gain from last year and a significant increase since
the first year Colombian aid was debated in Congress. Both
democratic representatives Udall and DeGette as well as Republican
representative Tom Tancredo voted in favor of the amendment
to not increase funding for military aid. While the amendment
was unsuccessful in stopping the increased aid, it represents
a substantial increase in understanding of the issues involved
in US policy toward Colombia by the members in the House.
The 2003 omnibus budget
bill, passed through the House and Senate includes $700 million
for the Andean region and a large percentage allocated to
Colombia. The aid carries weaker requirements for the Colombian
government on human rights. Unlike previous years when the
US Secretary of State needed to certify that the Colombian
military was taking steps to persecute military personnel
involved in the perpetration of human rights violations and
to de-link the armed forces and brutal paramilitary groups,
the 2003 bill allows for 75% of the aid to be sent to Colombia
before certification occurs.
Take
Action against military aid to Colombia
- The
Foreign Aid Bill for 2004 is currently
being debated in Congress. The
proposed amount of development and aid funds to be allocated
to Latin America is less than last year. Ask your
representatives to support amendments to cut or limit military
aid and fumigation and increase funding for social and human
development.
- Request
that the Secretary of State’s certification of Human Rights
progress be required before any aid money can reach Colombia.
- Contact Tancredo,
Udall, and DeGette thanking them for their support of the
amendment to cut supplemental military aid.
CAFTA, FTAA and PPP
Negotiations continue on the Central American Free Trade
Agreement (CAFTA). Talks will be held in Tegucigalpa,
Honduras June 16-20 and are scheduled to take place in New Orleans,
Louisiana July 28th- August 1st. President Bush hopes
to push CAFTA through Congress by the end of 2003. CAFTA
is an extension of NAFTA to include Central America. Its implementation
is seen as key by the Bush administration and multinational
corporations in obtaining the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA), a trade deal which would cover all the countries in
the Western Hemisphere except Cuba. CAFTA will also help build
the economic framework for Plan Puebla Panama (PPP), a 10-year
long, multi-billion dollar mega-development project from Puebla,
Mexico to Panama. CAFTA, FTAA and PPP will spread free trade
and corporate power throughout the Americas and have devastating
effects on the environment, indigenous communities and local
economies.
Contact your representative, senators and US Trade Representative
to express your belief that CAFTA and the FTAA will exacerbate
poverty, environmental destruction and loss of national sovereignty
in Latin America. Urge them to support negotiations that include
civil society and that contain guaranteed protections of environmental,
labor and human rights.
Escalation
of violence in Guatemala
The human rights situation in Guatemala continues to deteriorate.
Over the past year, Guatemalan civil society members and those
involved with the judicial system have repeatedly been attacked,
tortured and/or received death threats. Many of these acts
are widely believed to be committed by illegal armed groups
closely linked to members of the state and state security
forces.
On March
13th the Guatemalan Government agreed upon a vehicle to confront
the resurgence of clandestine security groups, attacks and
threats against human rights defenders, judges, witnesses
and other civil society representatives. The agreement,
proposed by Dr. Sergio Morales, Guatemala’s human rights ombudsman,
authorizes the formation of the International Commission
to Investigate Illegal Bodies and Clandestine Security Apparatuses
(CICIACS). As well as illegal private security
groups, CICIACS will investigate the Interior Ministry, the
Presidential High Guard, and the Public Prosecutors Office
(MP) and their connection to clandestine groups and illegal
activity.
The three-member
commission will consist of one member appointed by the United
Nations, another by the Organization of American States and
a third by the Guatemalan government. President Portillo
must now submit a formalized agreement to the Guatemalan Congress
for ratification.
The beginning
stage of the Commission is very crucial and international
recognition and support is critical for its success. There
exists strong opposition to bringing these forces to justice
and there are innate contradictions within the Commission;
the enforcement mechanism provided for in CICIACS is the Public
Prosecutors Office, one of the same offices coming under investigation.
Take
Action to Support Human Rights in Guatemala:
- Express support
for CICIACS and urge the Guatemalan authorities to pursue
just, legal action against those standing in the way of
reconciliation and the peace process, AND state that you
will closely monitor the progress in ratifying and establishing
the committee
- Let Guatemalan human
rights workers know you support their persistent work and
courage in finding mechanisms to confront illegal and threatening
activity in Guatemala. Let them know your commitment to
these issues.
Click
here for addresses of Guatemalan officials
School
of the Americas
On
March 13 th Rep. McGovern (D-MA) and 49 other Representatives
introduced “The Latin American Training Act of 2003,” H.R.
1258, to the House of Representatives. This bill
would repeal authority for the SOA/WHISC and provide for the
establishment of a joint congressional task force to assess
US training of Latin American military. The bill would also
bar any successor school from being established for at least
10 months after the WHISC closes. Rep. Mark Udall signed
on as one of the cosponsor on March 13 th . As of June 11th
there are 78 co-sponsors, yet no other Colorado representatives
have signed on. We
have written to Diana DeGette asking her to co-sponsor the
bill and received a response from her. She supports the
closure of the SOA/WHISC yet has not signed onto the bill,
citing her co-sponsoring of a previous bill to close the SOA/WHISC,
H.R. 732.
Take
Action to close SOA/WHISC
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