cannabisnews.com: Brazil Worried of Aid to Colombia










  Brazil Worried of Aid to Colombia

Posted by FoM on August 24, 2000 at 14:16:32 PT
By Stan Lehman, Associated Press Writer 
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune  

Brazil is worried that the possible use of defoliants in Colombia's U.S.-backed plan to combat drug production could damage its Amazon rain forest, a Foreign Ministry official said Thursday. The environmental impact of the strategy -- called Plan Colombia -- was discussed at a Wednesday meeting attended by Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia, Justice Minister Jose Gregori and Defense Minister Geraldo Quintao. 
" No one involved with Plan Colombia has said that defoliants, napalm and other chemical agents will be used, " said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. " But no one is denying their possible use to destroy coca plantations." Colombia is expected to launch the offensive against drug smugglers soon. On Tuesday, President Clinton signed a waiver that allows $1.3 billion in aid to be sent to Colombia even though the country has not met all the human rights conditions set by Congress. The aid includes 18 Black Hawk helicopters and 42 Huey 2 helicopters, along with money to train and equip Colombia' s police and military. The possible use of defoliants has Brazilian environmentalists worried, as well. " It would be disastrous, " said Adalberto Verissimo, research director the environmental organization, Imazon. " It would obviously wipe out vegetation and untold numbers of animal species." Brazilian officials said they backed the plan, except for any foreign military involvement. The Plan Colombia, which was proposed by Colombian President Andres Pastrana, also includes financing for programs to reduce poverty, wean farmers off growing coca and help ongoing peace talks with powerful leftist guerrillas. Also worrying Brazilian officials is the possibility that Colombian guerillas fleeing the offensive will cross the border or that drug traffickers will simply shift their cocaine-producing plantations across the border into Brazil' s vast Amazon jungle. The official would not confirm a report by newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo over the weekend that Brazil had already begun beefing up security along its 960-mile border with Colombia. Published: August 24, 2000Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)Copyright: 2000 Star TribuneContact: opinion startribune.comAddress: 425 Portland Ave., Minneapolis MN 55488Fax: 612-673-4359Website: http://www.startribune.com/Feedback: http://www.startribune.com/stonline/html/userguide/letform.htmlRelated Articles:Leaving a Legacy Of War in Colombia http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6783.shtmlCannabisNews Articles On Killer Fungus:http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=fungus

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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on August 25, 2000 at 06:41:01 PT:

The Brazilians have good reason to be worried

The herbicides being pushed upon the Colombian government are for the most part the same kind that the US has banned from being used here. Yet they are being sold to the Colombians as being safe.On the Western border of Brazil lies one of the largest wetland areas in the world, the Matto Grosso. According to the scientists who've studied the area, the wildlife found there has no match anywhere in the world for diversity and it's beauty. But like so many wetlands, it is fed from tributaries from higher altitudes...like where Colombia is situated. The herbicides used to fight the DrugWar could cause an ecological catastrophe of enormous proportion all along the Amazon Basin. (Where many pharmaceuticals have been derived from plants living there. Some of whom, like Taxol, have been developed to treat cancers. Cancers caused by exposure to industrial pollutants. Like herbicides. How's that for irony?)Messing around with the oxygen-exchange system, the veritable 'lungs' of the planet, as the rainforest has been likened to, is not a particularly bright move for the antis. But, then again, they *are* the antis; should we expect anything other than insanity from them? 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 24, 2000 at 16:40:47 PT

Love of money is all I see. The ultimate drug!

Hi freedom fighter. Why are we still doing this? I sure don't know but it makes me angry way down deep inside. I am glad I am not just starting out in the world. What is ahead for the children is scary. I wouldn't want to be a young adult now for anything.Peace, FoM!
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Comment #1 posted by freedom fighter on August 24, 2000 at 15:44:02 PT

Who me? no, you! Invasive Species

It is so ironic that our favorite president sign one of the excutive order. This executive order are titled as "Invasive Species" http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=5572618312+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieveThis executive stated that we as United States must find ways of controlling/preventing species from other countries from entering the United States. Why are we doing this to another countries? Yesterday, I came upon a site and was shocked to find out that US used 15 different herbicides in Vietnam War. Why are we still doing this? 
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