COURT ORDERS END TO SPRAYING OF A HERBICIDE BY COLOMBIA

BOGOTA, Colombia, July 28 (Reuters) -- A Colombian court has ordered an
immediate end to aerial spraying of drug crops with the herbicide
glyphosate, a potential blow to President Andres Pastrana's offensive
against the growing and trading of cocaine.

Ruling on Friday in favor of Indian groups that had protested the spraying
program, a Bogota judge ordered the government to provide studies on
glyphosate's effects on the environment and human health.

Mr. Pastrana, who has counted on United States support for the spraying,
said his legal team was reviewing the decision. He did not say if the
government intended to stop aerial spraying, however.

"We are studying the ruling," he said. "Governmental bodies are conducting
an analysis to see what method" of eradication will proceed.

Glyphosate is commonly used as a weed killer by farmers throughout the
world, and the American biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. supplies the
herbicide to Colombia. Colombia has been spraying glyphosate for years but
vastly increased the effort last year with the beginning of the
anti-cocaine offensive.

So far this year, the police have destroyed 127,000 acres of coca. Although
aerial spraying programs have tapered off recently because of the wet
season, the police hope to destroy another 74,000 acres by year's end.

The American government, a staunch supporter of aerial spraying, is pouring
more than $1 billion in mostly military aid into Mr. Pastrana's
anti-narcotics program, with three of 16 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters
arriving in the Andean nation on Friday. The Blackhawks will carry troops
to back up spraying in areas prowled by outlawed gunmen.

The program has caused increasing controversy, with growing protests by
peasant growers including indigenous farmers. The farmers have argued the
spraying was killing legitimate crops, making people sick and damaging the
environment. They have led marches against aerial spraying, and have
threatened to block the Pan-American highway in protest.