cannabisnews.com: Economics, Not Drugs, at Root of Colombian War Economics, Not Drugs, at Root of Colombian War Posted by FoM on August 30, 2001 at 21:49:04 PT By Alejandro Bustos Source: Ottawa Citizen A group of Canadian activists just back from Colombia said the war on drugs is a smokescreen that hides the true nature of the civil war in the South American country. "This is not a war on drugs, it's a war on people to take resources at their expense," said Rhonda Spence, president of CoDevelopment Canada, a Vancouver-based non-governmental organization that does development work in Latin America. The Minga delegation of 30 Canadian social activists, union leaders and New Democratic Party members returned to Canada earlier this week after spending two weeks in Colombia. "Drug trafficking is a consequence of the conflict, not the cause," said Pablo Leal, an Ottawa-based organizer of the delegation. "What is happening in Colombia is that the conflict there is caused by the implementation of an economic model." They took issue with Plan Colombia, the $1.3 billion US anti-drug program funded by the United States. Much of the aid comes in the form of military equipment. Washington and Bogota say the U.S. support - the biggest arms buildup in the region since El Salvador's civil war in the 1980s - is necessary for the fight against the drug trade. But critics say it's foolish to flood the region with weapons, given the violence that's already happening in Colombia's complicated civil war involving two left-wing guerrilla groups, right-wing paramilitaries, the armed forces and drug traffickers. Brutality and massacres have long been part of the conflict. A Colombian Embassy official in Ottawa said a spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on the delegation's claims. The embassy has previously said that left-wing critics of Colombia have underplayed the impact of the drug trade and failed to take account of the pressures Colombian authorities face from the various armed groups. "The military component of Plan Colombia is often criticized, as well as its provider, the U.S.," Fanny Kertzman, Colombia's ambassador to Canada, wrote in a letter to the Hamilton Spectator earlier this summer. "But what are our options to defeat the criminals? Where are we going to get the equipment, in the black market, like the criminals do?" The ambassador said her government was "committed to fighting all criminals: narco-traffickers who are fuelling this war, illegal self-defence groups and guerrillas." Washington has also said it must fight the drug traffickers. U.S. officials note that Colombia is the largest exporter of cocaine to the United States and is increasing its role in the heroin market. The Colombian conflict, activists say, can be traced to the power struggle between landowners and peasants, workers and bosses, dating back to the 19th century before the drug trade became an issue. This struggle is played out now with the presence of multinational corporations. Left-wing critics accuse them of operating in Colombia at the expense of the local population. Complete Title: Economics, Not Drugs, at Root of Colombian War, Canadian Activists SaySource: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)Author: Alejandro BustosPublished: August 31, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Ottawa CitizenContact: letters thecitizen.southam.ca Website: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Colombia Drug War Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/colombia.htmU.S. Defends Anti-Narcotics Policyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10761.shtmlMany Colombians Back Decriminalization http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10752.shtml Oil Rigged - Americas.orghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8691.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by Sudaca on August 31, 2001 at 11:45:11 PT US Foreign Policy Has been observed to promote the destabilization of potential competitors or regions where competition could arise. South America has been trying for decades to unite in an economic block or a political block under many names. The economic turmoil experienced under different situations has always contributed to fragment that unity. Plan Colombia is only the latest of a series of situations that keep the South American neighbors from joining. To cite otherrs, the Cuban embargo, Argentina becoming a NATO ally, Chile being led by the nose on NAFTA every time there's talk of expaning the MercoSur..Plan Colombia now is a wedge between countries who desperatley are in need of money and countries in fear of being overwhelmed by narco spillover.During the 60's and 70's the US was involved in "protecting democracy" against communism by bolstering right wing parties and propping dictators all over the place. During the80's under the same excuse, the big Narco Mafias flourished under their deals with the CIA. Now, the Amazon is ringed by U.S. supplied mercenaries and high tech satellite, air and ground troops... chaos, more chaos. The reaction is beginning to be felt in the area, as once again, in fear the people seek a strong paternal gov't to protect them. And there comes Uncle Sam to the rescue.. in time to seek better access to protected oil fields.. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by J.R. Bob Dobbs on August 31, 2001 at 08:13:46 PT We must keep the world safe for tobacco! >>U.S. officials note that Colombia is the largest exporter of cocaine to the United States and is increasing its role in the heroin market. Meanwhile, more Columbians die from US tobacco than US citizens die from all illegal drugs... [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by rabblerouser on August 31, 2001 at 06:16:29 PT That's Merriam-Webster corrected the spelling error. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Charlie on August 31, 2001 at 06:13:23 PT dddd Your x-ray vision is right on...Don't tell your pouch that it is truely adog eat dog world out there.We need cannabis more than ever...http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1518000/1518232.stm [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by rabblerouser on August 31, 2001 at 06:12:27 PT Fascism is a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible repression of opposition.Definition from the Meriam-Webster Online DictionaryIt kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by lookinside on August 31, 2001 at 04:49:39 PT: chinese curse: "may you live in interesting times"like wars, or natural catastrophes or armageddon....i agree, dddd...we have reached critical mass...not enoughresources, long term to satisfy the greed of thepowerful...not enough opportunity for those who aspire...notenough space for those who just want to live peacefullywithout bothering with a bigger world...knuckling under to the powers that be will allow forsurvival for a little while, but those powers are shortsighted in the extreme...removing them will be difficult anddangerous...not a job for the few...any hope of turningthings around will involve self sacrifice such as the worldhas never known...i'm afraid we're not up to it...the"greater good" is not a concept taught in schoolsanymore...if it ever was...athens and rome, among many, found out the hard way...thebarbarians are at the gate...malthus showed the way to armageddon... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by dddd on August 30, 2001 at 23:34:35 PT Crimes & Criminals ...I challenge anyone out there to,,to try and tell mewho is more "criminal",,,,Is it more of a "crime",fora peasant to attempt to support his family,than it is foran Amerikan big dog political imperialist to accomodatethe needs of global economic whorporations?.......The world is officially out of control,,,,,!,,yup,,I havedecided,that it is quite likely that a certain line has beencrossed,,and going back to whatever is normal,,is mostunlikely.... I hate to deliver such a discouraging,and depressing suggestion,but the economically fueled jaggernaut shows no signs of beingcontrolled......and for those of you who are bibically inclined,like Iam,,,or even for those who are not,,there is definitly a beastsomewhere in the equation. There has never been such a globally connected world,as the worldof today is,,and I know,,many doomsayers have made similar statementsin the past,,but todays world is truly unique....anyway,,to return to myintended point; The true world class crimes,are now being commited by world class entities,that are not even considered as suspects. I hope my akward hopeless rambling can be somehow deciphered as relevant and meaningful. It is the product of sheer disgust,which I can only trace backto the economic overlording of the WORLD. Big excitement in the local media here in Orange County tonight,the "biggest"weed bust ever in county history happenned today.Massive quanities ofripe buds were discovered in a local canyon...Oh well,,,I think it was Dickens,who wrote;"It was the best of times,and theworst of times"....On the bright side,,my dog has no idea about any of this shit..he's asleepright now,,having some kind of special dog dream.He's laying flat on hisback,and his paws are straight up in the air,doing some kinda running thingonce.......I admit,,I would have a tuff time maintaining without my dog.cheers....dddd [ Post Comment ] Post Comment