Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2003
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2003 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Authors: Mick Rix, Ken Cameron Justice for Colombia

COCAINE WARS

We are extremely concerned that the government has increased its military 
assistance to the Colombian armed forces (Secret aid poured into Colombian 
drug war, July 9), despite compelling evidence that they are intimately 
connected with the paramilitary death squads which are overwhelmingly 
responsible for the murder of trade unionists. In 2002 alone, 184 trade 
unionists were assassinated.

Eleven union general secretaries and a group of MPs will meet outside 
parliament to highlight the government's continued military assistance to 
Colombia. A veil of secrecy means we cannot be sure that taxpayers' money 
is not contributing to the decimation of the Colombian trade union 
movement. Our recent delegation to Colombia also discovered that one 
Colombian teacher is assassinated every week and thousands more are 
disappeared or displaced.

While human rights abuses by the state are rapidly escalating, Colombian 
civil society is desperately worried that the donor's summit being held in 
London today will channel funds away from poverty alleviation. If the 
government is really concerned about fighting terrorism, let's start where 
we can really make a difference.

Mick Rix, Ken Cameron Justice for Colombia
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom