"Widespread and systematic" army killings: Who replaces General Montoya?

By John Lindsay Poland

Colombian Army commander Mario Montoya resigned today http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7709073.stm, in the wake of a scandal over army killings of civilians that a United Nations official on Saturday called “widespread and systematic.” http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/127a5a66-a92f-11dd-a19a-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1 A protégé of the United States, Montoya was an architect of the “body count” counterinsurgency strategy that many analysts believe led to the systematic civilian killings. His record is full of reports of collaboration with paramilitary units, from the 1970s into the 2000s. http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB223/index.htm

The Fellowship of Reconciliation believes General Montoya’s departure because of criticism of his human rights record reflects an important step in the effort to make human rights a central measure for military officers’ performance. We urge Colombian authorities to pursue all relevant investigations of crimes committed under General Montoya’s command. “The Colombian government presumably sought to replace General Montoya with an officer with a spotless record,” said John Lindsay-Poland, of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. “But the reported executions of civilians under General González Peña’s command suggests that such high-ranking officers in the Colombian army are far and few between.” The United States continues to fund the training and operations of these officers. The Fellowship urges activists, journalists, and legislators to ask when the United States will stop the unconditional flow of lethal assistance to the Colombian Army. And we call on the incoming administration in Washington to cease such assistance as criminal and ineffective in its aims.

An Historic Day for Indigenous Peoples

The following message was sent by the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, ACIN, on Sunday.

An Historic Day for Indigenous Peoples"We don´t have a Government" was the conclusion reached by Feliciano Valencia, a native Nasa leader from CRIC during his speech at the press conference at La María Piendamó. In a deep, firm and measured tone, his words were heard in profound silence by an audience of about 5000 indigenous people and some representatives of the Colombian media.

Feliciano began the initial part of his speech by making a number of very strong points which began with "It is not true that....". Indigenous peoples are not terrorists, the mobilization (Minga) is not controlled or run in coordination with FARC, land is not the main nor the only issue, indigenous peoples have not negotiated, nor reached an agreement with the Colombian Government, contrary to what was falsely stated by the Ministers of Justice and the Interior, Agriculture and Social Welfare, Indigenous peoples did not attack the Colombian armed forces and were instead mercilessly and brutally attacked with live ammunition which have left 132 wounded, one dead and one dying, the Government has not fulfilled its obligations with indigenous peoples and has made no effort to keep its promises.

Feliciano then proceeded to describe the Government´s and media behaviour towards the mobilization."We invited the President to a dialogue and he responded with a military assault." Feliciano described the mediatic manipulations, the lies fabricated by the commander of the Police, President Uribe, the head of the Secret Service and several Ministers.

Beyond recent events, Mr. Valencia explained how indigenous peoples are being exterminated not only through a permanent dirty war, military offensives and crossfire, but also through policies of extermination, exploitation and exclusion that have become systematic under the current administration in order to deliver the country´s wealth to transnational corporate interests. This account lead to the indictment: "We don´t have a Government in Colombia".Consequently, the Minga convenes the primary constituent assembly. The people of Colombia. All Colombians. Not to follow an indigenous agenda but to weave a collective agenda, a new country from our collective demands and pain.Feliciano proceeded to outline the five point agenda:

1. No to the economic model and the FTA´s with the US, Canada and Europe;
2. A removal of the legislation that empoverishes peoples, destroys and denies rights and freedoms, delivers the wealth of the country to corporate interests and has not gone through consultation with those affected;
3. No more war and terror as the main Government policy.
4. Respect and application of international and national agreements and establishment of the conditions that will allow the people to construct a new, possible and necessary country.
5. A proposal not for indigenous peoples, but from them, to construct jointly a new society.

The authorities announced a march towards the city of Cali, which will leave from La María next Tuesday. Other social movements and organizations have announced that they will join and mobilize and the whole country is invited to mobilize and gather in Cali.The words have been stated and now the talk will be walked until a new reality gets on the way, from a country with owners and no peoples, to a country of the peoples without owners.

Today, we heard one of the wisest and clearest statements in recent Colombian history. From being marginalized and defamed as terrorists, from being wounded and murdered like rats, from being lied about and abused, from being excluded, indigenous peoples have stood back and shown their wisdom and dignity taking on their leadership as masters of wisdom for the construction of a new world on this territory of Mother earth now known as Colombia.

The audio recording will be posted on http://www.nasaacin.org/ . Now, tired, saddenned by the wounded and dead who will lead the march, indigenous peoples are standing strong to convene the transformation of Colombia.

A major struggle for which they request the solidarity and support of international observers.Visit http://www.nasaacin.org/ for more details.

Another Trade and War Connection in the Americas

The Americas Policy Program has put together and excellent Primer on Plan Mexico. The report written by Laura Carlsen puts forward detailed analysis regarding the policy, its background and what needs to change. This policy as part of the expansion of NAFTA is a clear connection to what we have been talking about for the past few years on this site, mainly that trade and war are companion policies. Just as Plan Colombia is a failed policy which is now accompanied by an unjust trade agreement so are Plan Mexico and the expansion of NAFTA. Following is a summary of the Primer and a link to the entire document.

Plan Mexico
The Bush Administration has put its proposal to militarize Mexico into the upcoming Iraq supplemental bill. On Oct. 22, 2007 President Bush announced the $1.4 billion dollar “Merida Initiative” (nicknamed Plan Mexico)--a security aid package to Mexico and Central America. The initiative has fatal flaws in its strategy; instead of leading to a stable bi-national relationship and peaceful border communities, its military approach will escalate drug-related violence and human rights abuses.

The NAFTA Connection
The Bush administration’s concept of a joint security strategy for North America came to the forefront under the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) as an extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). When the three North American leaders met in Waco, Texas in March of 2005, they put into motion a secretive process of negotiations between members of the executive branches and representatives of large corporations to facilitate cross-border business and create a shared security perimeter. Subsequent meetings including the April 2008 trilateral summit in New Orleans extended these goals in total secrecy amid mounting criticism.

Secrecy
In this context, instead of reviewing polices and opening them up to public debate, the Bush administration has launched its boldest advance yet within the SPP context—Plan Mexico. Speculation was that the Plan would be announced at the Montebello SPP meeting in August of 2007, but perhaps because of the presence of SPP protestors at that meeting President Bush delayed the official unveiling of the “Merida Initiative” several months. However, the last two SPP meetings have included discussions of Plan Mexico and the State Department has been clear about the link.

Plan Colombia All Over Again
The experience of Plan Colombia reveals the pitfalls of Plan Mexico. Plan Colombia is a similar U.S. military aid package designed to fight the drug war. Since its inception in 2000, it has contributed to entrenched violence and corruption in that South American country while failing to reduce drug flows to the United States.

To read the rest of the Primer please click here.

New Aid Package Imperfect but Offers Significant Changes

The new aid package is far from perfect. But there are some positive and significant changes thanks to your hard work.

The military aid was cut by $141.5 million (31%), and funding for inhumane and environmentally harmful aerial spraying program has also been cut. Meanwhile there is an increase in economic and sustainable development aid of $97.4 million (71%) with $15 million of the development aid slated for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities which make up some of the most impoverished and negatively affected by the ongoing conflict.

The new legislation ties 30% of the aid (versus 25% in previous years) to human rights conditions which include: that Colombian army officials be investigated and prosecuted for violating human rights, and that the Colombian government guarantee that the army is respecting the private property of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities. In the past two years $110 million dollars have been held by the State Department due to Colombian government and army’s inability to meet these conditions. A new conditions places restrictions on the use of US aid for investment in oil palm—used in the making of lotions, cookies and ethanol. Oil palm is and export crop that has led to the displacement of thousands of Afro-Colombians and Indigenous peoples as corporations in tandem with right wing paramilitary groups usurp the land belonging to these communities for this environmentally unfriendly crop.

These are results that should be celebrated. There is much more to be done this year given that the Department of Defense bill, which authorizes more military aid to Colombia, is highly nontransparent and difficult to monitor. Congratulations on all of your hard work and let’s work to make the rest of the military aid in the Department of Defense bill more transparent and accountable.