Tensions in the Andes Do Not Justify Free Trade Agreement

Tensions in the Andes: Civilians Need Our Support

On March 1, 2008 the Colombian Armed Forces attacked a FARC guerilla encampment in Ecuador, killing alias "Raul Reyes", a top-ranking rebel leader and 22 others. Colombia's raid into Ecuador, reportedly with assistance from US intelligence, is a violation of international law and has received reprimand from the Organization of American States. While the US media is giving extensive coverage to this topic, suggesting the region is on the brink of war and discussing possible effects on trade relationships, the impacts on the local civilian population have not been mentioned. Witness for Peace and numerous Colombian human rights and community-based organizations are concerned about the negative effects of the March 1 military events along the Colombian-Ecuadorian border, in the region of Putumayo, on the civilian population who are caught in the middle of the Colombian conflict. It is also very concerning that the Bush Administration has been using the tensions between Andean countries to push for Congressional approval of the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA). This trade agreement is also highly contested within the US congress due Colombia's horrendous human rights record, including the world's highest rate of trade union assassinations. For these reasons, along with the disastrous effects the agreement will have on Colombian farmers, labor organizers, indigenous and Afro-Colombians, the US Congress should not approve the FTA. What are the effects on the local population of the Putumayo area? Civilians living in Colombia near the Ecuador border are caught in the crossfire. They fear that due to the attack on the FARC encampment, guerrillas are much more likely to target the surrounding community, accusing them of being government informants. At the same time, they also fear that the Colombian military is going to come down hard on those in the region due to their claims that the community has been supporting the guerrillas since they are in the area. A local woman we met with this week explained the situation to us: "The assassination [of Raul Reyes] occurred 15 minutes from where I live and now everyone in my community is afraid of the repression that is coming. The government is now saying we are all guerillas and that is why we are afraid of state violence. But we are not guerillas. We are not paramilitaries. We are not informants. We are just poor farmers and right now we are focused on not being pushed off our lands.We want to work because we need to work to survive. But we can't. If we try to even leave the house the army accuses us of being guerillas. So everyone is in their homes full of fear." Shortly after hearing her story, we were notified that two civilian farmers that lived in her community were killed by the military and then dressed as guerilla fighters to "justify" their murders, one more example of the extrajudicial killings that ravage the region. What is the current conflict in the Andes about? After the military raid on March 1, Ecuador and Venezuela responded by protesting the Colombian incursion into Ecuador and sending troops to their borders with Colombia. Colombia's response to the action of Ecuador and Venezuela was to accuse their respective governments of allegedly supporting the FARC. These charges were based on documents that Colombian officials claim they discovered in the rebel leader's computer, alleging friendly Ecuadorian and Venezuelan relationships with the guerrillas. These serious claims have not been verified and have been vehemently denied by both Presidents. While the majority of Latin American governments are protesting Colombia's actions, the US government continues to back Colombia's President Uribe and use the crisis to both further polarize the region and as another excuse to push forward the Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement as something of a "reward" for its militaristic ally. ***

Take Action!

Witness for Peace feels it is of critical importance that the US public be informed of the detrimental effects US-funded militarization has had on Colombian civilians not only during this most recent attack, but since Plan Colombia began eight years ago. The unacceptable living and human rights conditions they face have been exacerbated by the events that took place earlier this month, but were not created by just this one military act. Please take a moment to takeaction against continued US military funding of Colombia and in support of Colombian civilians. Supporters of peace and justice in Latin America can take the following actions to change US policy: Call your members of Congress today telling them to vote "No" on the Colombia-US Free Trade Agreement if it comes up for a vote. The Bush Administration has been trying to use tensions in the Andean region as a reason to push forth the FTA, despite the fact that grave concerns remain about labor and human rights violations in Colombia as well as the negative impacts the FTA would have on rural communities, callthe capital switchboard,202-224-3121, and ask for your member of Congress-telling them to VOTE NO on the FTA.Tips for contacting Congress Join Witness for Peace in the Days of Prayer and Action for Colombia, April 27-28, 2008 Encourage your friends to join Witness for Peace and receive regular updates on US policy in Latin America and how you can help promote peace in the region.

Colombian human rights organization speaks out about recent events on Ecuadorian border

MINGA, a Colombian human rights organization, recently sent Witness for Peace a document regarding the concerning situation of the civilians living in the Putumayo region. We have translated this document and included it below. Please take a moment to read it as well as to take appropriate action against continued US military funding of Colombia and in support of Colombian civilians. The grassroots organizations of Colombia are worried about the resulting effects of the current international tensions between the governments of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, caused by the March 1, 2008 raid that occurred near the Colombia-Ecuador border. We fear for the life and personal integrity of thousands of people who are in the middle of the crossfire and that, as civilians, need protection, public visibility, access to humanitarian aid, and respect for their right to live in peace and with dignity as they find alternatives to war. We call on you to act in solidarity and good will with the civil populace that resides in this border zone. The border region between Colombia and Ecuador is increasingly becoming a military theater of operation for combat without consideration for the vulnerable civilian communities living in the area: Intense militarization and occupation of this zone leads to economic blockades and military confinement of the civilian population. The border closings increase the blockades and confinement, resulting in the reduction of humanitarian space. It is ever more difficult for human rights organizations to travel in and operate in the area. There have been massive internal and cross-border displacements caused by the increased risk of armed confrontation between governmental armed forces and illegal armed groups. There is a current food shortage and general lack of supplies caused by the ongoing governmental coca eradication programs, fumigation and forced manual eradication, which are carried out without effective alternative development or contingency plans to mitigate the effects of indiscriminate fumigation and eradication of food crops. This all occurs within the context of an already critical situation in Putumayo, a region characterized by its extreme poverty and the absence of state institutions. According to the provincial government, 79% of Putumayo's population lives with its basic needs unmet. For example, residents of this region rank last in Colombia regarding access to potable water, at only 0.01%. 40% of the population lives without access to healthcare and in rural regions malnourishment is rampant among minors. Human rights violations and infractions of International Humanitarian Law have been committed within the framework of military operations supported by Colombia Plan resources from the US. Previous antinarcotics operations have had severely negative impacts on the civilian population. For example, after the November 2005 operation "Snow Cap", approximately 800 members of Afro-descendant communities were forced to flee into Ecuador as a result of being caught in crossfire. During the forced manual eradication operations in October of 2007, approximately 600 people went to Ecuador in search of food and humanitarian aid. Other farming communities organized themselves within the province of Putumayo, demanding that the Colombian government help them by providing viable economic alternatives to coca. Many of the community members were victimized when their private property and goods were stolen or destroyed, their houses burned, and several leaders were beaten during an operative aimed at repressing the farmer's protests to continuing the planned forced eradication. In light of this situation we want to request that the members of US civil society support the communities of Putumayo through a variety of actions including letters to your Congressional representatives regarding: A negotiated and peaceful solution to the armed conflict; A complete change in the allocation of Plan Colombia resources. Up until now the majority of Plan Colombia has been in military and police aid, resulting in more militarization of Colombian communities leading to human rights violations. The US needs to direct aid towards programs that advance the construction of sustainable peace, the creation of a humanitarian space along the border, and the strengthening of democratic values and institutions; The advancement of actions that protect the life and integrity of the civilian population affected by a continually more and more international war.