THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE VILLAIN

In response to Christopher G. Kerr's July 17 letter to the editor, "Retool
U.S. policy on Colombia," I disagree on a few points:

Yes, innocent people are being killed by the paramilitaries and by other
terrorist groups as well. These groups also are forcibly recruiting many
people, especially children. The only U.S. financing they get is from all
the money paid by drug consumers in this country. The U.S. government is
not supporting them at all. In fact, the army is cleansing its ranks of all
personnel who had any interactions with any of the guerrilla groups, in
particular, with the paramilitaries.

As far as the deadly chemicals are concerned, the jury is still out on the
effects of those chemicals on people. No scientific study has been done. I
don't think they are being used anyway, because of heavy protesting from
the civilian population.

The union organizers who have been killed were all victims of the guerrilla
(or the paramilitary) groups; the government does not believe in killing
people.

The guerrilla groups are becoming a greater menace every day. Already,
hundreds of mayors have been forced from their towns because of death
threats from the guerrilla groups. Entire territories have been cleared of
all government authorities because of this maneuvering.

Absent foreign help, Colombia may very well become a Communist country
whose biggest (and possibly only) export is drugs.

The guerrilla groups are campaigning to discredit the Colombian government
so that they can overrun the country; their arguments closely mirror Kerr's.

Michael Rothstein

Twinsburg