by Pablo Bachelet
Miami Herald
Wed, Jul. 04, 2007

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...statements of praise for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, a stalwart U.S. ally, have turned to reprimands over Colombia's human-rights record. A free-trade agreement with Bogotá is stalled, and Democratic legislators have slashed millions of dollars in military aid.

Observers say the turnaround has been so dramatic that a frustrated Uribe has attacked his congressional critics for not showing his country ''respect.'' He has lashed out at his own foreign-policy team for not pushing the trade deal hard enough.

Anti-union violence has dropped under Uribe’s administration:
Contrary to what President Uribe contends, killing of Colombian union leaders actually increased in 2006, and impunity for killing of unionists has gotten worse during Uribe’s administration. (see www.usleap.org) In addition, the government has tinkered with statistics by attributing many of the deaths to common crime, instead of labor violence, according to a report from the prestigious Colombian lawyers group, Colectivo de Abogados Alvear Restrepo.

This article, published in Counterpunch, provides an excellent summary of the Colombia conflict and the U.S. involvement

By JOE DeRAYMOND

May 23, 2007 -- Colombia's civil war is the United States war in the Western Hemisphere. Each year the US provides over a half billion dollars to the Colombian police and military, and trains thousands of Colombian soldiers. Colombia is the largest recipient of US aid outside the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq. The US has nurtured the war in Colombia over many years, for the specific purpose of controlling the resources and politics of this rich nation.

U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Fuels the Fires of the Conflict
(Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee and Global Exchange for their information on this topic)

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Sign this petition, or use this handy guide from the American Friends service Committee to call your members of Congress.

Despite rampant violations of human rights, including labor union murders, and the failure of U.S. policies to reduce coca production and end the now 50 year-old conflict, the U.S. is preparing to fund Plan Colombia II and has negotiated a new free trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia. The U.S. and Colombia signed the trade pact on November 22, 2006, and it must be voted on in Congress before July 1, 2007.

Reports of Army Chief’s Ties to Death Squads Highlight Need for Change

May 1, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dozens of organizations released a letter to Congress today calling for a complete cessation of U.S. military aid to Colombia as that country’s president, Alvaro Uribe, arrives in Washington seeking support for his military and trade programs.

Despite continued revelations in the parapolitica scandal and accusations linking Army Chief Montoya to numerous abuses, the U.S. government certified on Tuesday that Colombia has improved its human rights record. This certification frees up $55 million in military aid that has been on hold.

For more information and background, visit the Center for International Policy's Colombia site.

by the Colombian Action Network confronting Free Trade and the ALCA – Recalca (Red Colombiana de Acción Frente al Libre Comercio y el ALCA – Recalca), February 2007

Download the full document here (PDF)

1. The Environmental Chapter of the Free Trade Agreement

An environmental chapter has been included in the proposed Free Trade Agreement with the United States. This chapter has the objective of ensuring that exports to the US do not use natural resources where their cost is not reflected in the price of goods, which is defined as environmental dumping.

A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax
Supporting a Decrease in Military Aid to Colombia, 4 January 2007

Whereas, the Town of Fairfax has entered into a sister community relationship with the peace community of San Jose de Apartado, Colombia in recognition of that community’s valiant efforts resist participation in the ongoing civil conflict in Colombia by embracing non-violence and declaring itself neutral while respecting the rights and dignity of all of its neighbors;

Whereas, as a consequence of its rejection of violence and its neutrality, the peace community of San Jose de Apartado has withstood repeated acts of violence and intimidation including the murder of two of the sisters of Renato Areiza who recently visited Fairfax on behalf of the Peace Community;