HELP CONGRESS STOP THE U.S.-COLOMBIA MILITARY BASES DEAL

Contact your Representative NOW to urge them to tell President Obama that U.S. operations on military bases in Colombia will "deepen the failures of Plan Colombia."

Members of Congress must act by the end of Thursday to sign the 'Dear Colleague' letter initiated by Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Jim McGovern, and Janice Schakowsky. (1)

Former Colombian president and head of the Organization of American States Cesar Gaviria -- not known as a progressive -- said this week that the current Colombian government "wants to do away with democracy." That's the government with whom the Pentagon wants to develop a longer-term "partnership". That's also the military under investigation by the Colombian Attorney General's office for over 1,700 civilian killings. 

This is the first Congressional initiative about the military bases in Colombia that offers a chance for grassroots mobilization. But time is short -- Pentagon brass say they hope the bases deal will be signed this month. And the Congressional letter is only open through tomorrow, Thursday.

Senators Patrick Leahy and Christopher Dodd, chairs of key committees that were not briefed about the base negotiations, wrote a blistering letter to Secretary Clinton about the bases in late July, asking many pointed questions about the intent of negotiations and the reversal of a planned drawdown on Plan Colombia. "Where would semi-permanent base access fit into the U.S. interagency commitment... to gradually reduce U.S. military assistance to Colombia?" they asked. (2)

Over the August recess, the Democratic-led House was silent on the problem -- until now. And now it is urgent that the White House hear clearly and loudly from Capitol Hill that the military bases in Colombia are the wrong move, if we want dialogue with our southern neighbors, not fear, militarization, and the reinforcement of impunity for military crimes against innocent civilians.

Urge your Representative to speak against this continued arming of the Colombian miltiary and of the United States in South America.

Please help us continue this work!  FOR has played a leading role in the United States to highlight and stop the bases agreement, drawing on our many years of work on foreign military bases and Colombia. 

Click here to make a donation to help ensure this work continues.

Thanks from the FOR Colombia Program Team!

For more information, contact us:

Fellowship of Reconciliation Colombia Program

436 14th St. #409, Oakland, CA 94612

Tel: 510-763-1403

Web: http://www.forcolombia.org

(1) For the text of the Dear Colleague letter, click here.

(2) Letter from Senators Leahy and Dodd, July 28, 2009, to Secretary of State Clinton