COCAINE WARS

We are extremely concerned that the government has increased its military
assistance to the Colombian armed forces (Secret aid poured into Colombian
drug war, July 9), despite compelling evidence that they are intimately
connected with the paramilitary death squads which are overwhelmingly
responsible for the murder of trade unionists. In 2002 alone, 184 trade
unionists were assassinated.

Eleven union general secretaries and a group of MPs will meet outside
parliament to highlight the government's continued military assistance to
Colombia. A veil of secrecy means we cannot be sure that taxpayers' money
is not contributing to the decimation of the Colombian trade union
movement. Our recent delegation to Colombia also discovered that one
Colombian teacher is assassinated every week and thousands more are
disappeared or displaced.

While human rights abuses by the state are rapidly escalating, Colombian
civil society is desperately worried that the donor's summit being held in
London today will channel funds away from poverty alleviation. If the
government is really concerned about fighting terrorism, let's start where
we can really make a difference.

Mick Rix, Ken Cameron Justice for Colombia