InfoBrief - March 21, 2006

US Current Affairs and Media

• House Approves Additional Emergency Anti-Drug Money for Colombia The House of Representatives approved an amendment to a $72.4 billion anti-terrorism appropriations bill last week, granting Colombia an additional $26 million in emergency anti-drug funding. The money is earmarked for the replacement of aircraft for the fumigation and interdiction programs, and for the purchase of new aircraft for the Colombian National Police and the navy. Representative Dan Burton (R-IN) sponsored the bill, along with Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-IL), Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-VA), Rep. Mark Souder (R- IN), and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH). The amendment passed by a margin of 250-172, and still needs formal approval from the House before it moves on to a vote in the Senate. Rep. Burton hailed the emergency money as a way to “bolster counter- narcotic assistance to Colombia” by strengthening interdiction efforts in the Caribbean and Central America. “Because many of our own military maritime and air interdiction assets were removed from the Caribbean basin to deal with the challenges of homeland security after 9/11, we have left critical gaps in our drug interdiction net. The end result is that today the Central American Transit Zone is being exploited by drug-traffickers like never before.” Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) voiced her opposition to the amendment during a short debate on the House floor, questioning the necessity of the emergency funds, as well as overall US funding of counter-drug programs. “I think it is time that we look at a different mix for funding for Colombia, one that boosts spending on alternate development and interdiction programs and reduces funding for eradication programs which I think are ineffective at best.” Colombia is already slated to receive $600 million in police and military aid for 2006.

Upcoming Events in the US

• Building Peace from the Ground Up: How U.S. and Colombian Churches are Working Together for Peace in Colombia Lutheran World Relief, the U.S. Office on Colombia, The Jesuit Refugee Service USA, and the Ecumenical/IDP Working Group are pleased to invite you to a roundtable discussion Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 m. 1616 P Street, NW, conference room7th Floor Washington, D.C. 20036 Three courageous Colombian religious leaders of the Churches Sanctuary of Peace Movement that are partnering with U.S. “Sal y Luz” communities will be part of this interesting debate. The Sal y Luz project partners six communities of faith in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota with Colombia's courageous Peace Sanctuary Churches. "Sal y Luz" means "salt and light." This is what the Peace Sanctuary Churches aspire to be: places of refuge and hope in a country ravaged by five decades of violence. Many congregations have declared themselves Peace Sanctuary Churches. These congregations boldly pursue peace, feed the hungry, shelter the displaced, establish new economies, and open dialogues to reconcile relationships. While these Peace Sanctuary Churches have achieved astonishing successes in building peace, little is known about their experiences outside of the local areas where they take place. Through this partnership with communities of faith in the Upper Midwest, the Peace Sanctuary Churches seek to document the lessons learned over their years of peacebuilding experience. Three Churches in Colombia's Atlantic Coast region are now engaged in an intensive process of documenting their achievements, to share the good news that peace is truly possible in Colombia." Simultaneous Spanish/English translation will be provided. To RSVP contact Amy Oehlschlaeger at 202-547-6244 or at AOehlschlaeger@lwr.org.