WHEREAS the Colombian government is the third-largest recipient of US military aid; and

WHEREAS “Plan Colombia” is a $7.5 billion “aid” package written by the former administration, supported by the current administration, and backed by the Colombian government; and

WHEREAS the cornerstone of Plan Colombia is $1.3 billion in military aid; and

WHEREAS the right-wing paramilitaries, who are Colombian soldiers in disguise, have murdered over 40,000 workers, peasants, and their children in the past 10 years; and

WHEREAS these death squads have killed over 1600 trade unionists; and

WHEREAS a wide number of Colombian labor, community and human rights groups have gone on record opposing the Plan Colombia; and

WHEREAS the Justification for this US war against the Colombian people has been the totally false claim that leftist guerilla armies, which control nearly 50% of Colombian territory, are involved in drug trafficking; and

WHEREAS the Colombian people are suffering from a 20% unemployment rate and a poverty rate of over 50%; and

WHEREAS this war can only benefit the US global corporations, who are lusting after Colombia’s oil, natural gas, coal, nickel, coffee and timber; and

WHEREAS as the US economy enters a recession, workers can little afford to see billions of their hard-earned dollars wasted on a war against the working people of Colombia;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Pride At Work go on record as being unequivocally opposed to Plan Colombia and any further US military aid to Colombia;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we demand money for jobs, housing, health care and education at home, not war.

Submitted by:
Northeast Ohio PAW members:
Lloyd Clarke, Co-Chair
Susan Schnur, Co-Chair
Sharon Danann, Secretary
Martha Grevatt, Treasurer