COLOMBIA: UN WANTS GOVERNMENT CROP SPRAYING PROGRAM AUDITED

A UN International Drug Control Program official has called for an
international audit of Colombia's US-supported anti-cocaine crop spraying
program, voicing concern about the health effects of the fumigation
chemicals and the alleged spraying of small farmers' plots.

"We believe that an international and neutral verification is needed," said
UNDCP representative in Colombia Klauss Nyholm, saying that the United
Nations supports such an investigation -- using international auditors, the
UNDCP and the World Health Organization -- to analyze claims that the
chemicals used for crop spraying are dangerous to public health.

"There is lots of data, but the problem is that it all comes from people
who have an interest in the issue," he said. "So that's why we need a
verification committee, to find out what is true and what is not true"
(Reuters/MSNBC.com, 24 Jul).

Nyholm said the UN has collected evidence showing that herbicides are being
forcibly used against small farmers, contravening government policy of
targeting only large plantations. "We know that despite the government's
policy, sometimes small farmers' plots are hit as well, and that legal
crops such as bananas and beans are being fumigated by mistake," he said
(Associated Press/MSNBC.com, 24 Jul). Nyholm said the targeting of plots
smaller than 7.4 acres is opposed by the UN, adding that such policies are
ineffective and "inhuman" (Reuters/MSNBC.com).

The UN is urging the government to put more emphasis on funding alternative
crop development so that farmers could switch to growing organic coffee,
for example, instead of focusing entirely on combating illicit crop
production (AP/MSNBC.com). The program to combat illegal narcotics
production in Colombia, or "Plan Colombia," is supported by $1.3 billion in
US aid, and includes aid for alternative crop development, but the main
focus is cutting off the supply of drug crops such as the coca leaf and
opium poppy.

A recent UN study revealed that the area under coca cultivation in Colombia
was larger than expected. The UN is also concerned that the reduction of
opium production in Afghanistan will lead to greater production in
Colombia. Another concern for the UN is the growth of coca production in
neighboring Ecuador (Reuters/MSNBC.com). Production in Peru is also on the
rise again.

US Votes Against Cuts To Aid Package The US House of Representatives voted
against cutting hundreds of millions in aid destined for Colombia's
anti-drug crop production program. Opponents of the plan had wanted to
divert some of the funds into other projects, such as supporting the global
fund for AIDS and financing children's health programs (BBC Online, 25 Jul).

Some lawmakers questioned the increased military aid to Colombia, saying
that AIDS and other infectious diseases should be higher foreign aid
priorities. Referring to the 100 million people expected to be infected
with HIV/AIDS worldwide by 2005, US Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said, "How
much more staggering would the numbers have to become for us to respond in
a way that is commensurate with the leadership of our country?"

Yet those who opposed two amendments to divert money to other foreign aid
programs won out. According to US Congressman John Mica, "What we don't
want to do here today in misguided compassion is to turn the clock back on
our efforts to stem illegal narcotics." A total of $15.2 billion in
foreign aid was approved for the fiscal year beginning in October, of which
$676 million is allocated for Colombia's anti-drug efforts.