Letter to Pres. Bush and Sen. Edwards regarding war in Colombia

March 25, 2002 - also published in News of Orange County

Dear President George W. Bush,

We, of the Committee for a Non-Violent Response to Terrorism of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker), Chapel Hill, NC, urge you to find counsel to rethink solving conflicts with more conflict.

President Pastrana of Colombia has asked the U.S. to release Colombia from current restrictions on the use of U.S.-trained counter-narcotics battalions and weapons so that they may be used to fight the escalating war against the FARC. You are seeking funds to train and equip another counter-drug battalion and a pipeline protection battalion next year.

More U.S.-trained military battalions and weapons will not resolve the conflict in Colombia. Nor will these bring an end to drug production in Colombia. In fact, since 2000, when the U.S. significantly increased its military and counter-narcotics assistance to Colombia, drug production has not declined. Instead, the U.S.-sponsored coca fumigation campaign has left people ill, food and alternative cash crops wilted, drinking water supplies contaminated, and aquatic life destroyed, and the level of violence and the number of civilian deaths has increased dramatically. Thousands have been driven from their homes by the violence, fumigation campaign, and resulting poverty.

Giving more military aid is the wrong approach to stopping the production of illegal drugs, and it is the wrong approach to achieving peace in Colombia.

Rather than putting millions of dollars into the military, use that money towards helping to correct the social problems of Colombia so there will be Peace with justice and liberty.

Sincerely,

Maria Darlington for the Committee for a Non-Violent Response to Terrorism of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker), Chapel Hill, NC