[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      SPEND COLOMBIA MONEY AT HOME

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                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 24, 2001

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with all of my 
colleagues the attached editorial from the July 21, 2001 Chicago 
Tribune that articulates a position that I share. That is that our 
counter-narcotics efforts in Colombia are misguided, have not achieved 
the stated goals of US policy toward that country, and the funds 
required for implementation of this policy would be better spent 
working to address substance abuse here in the United States.
  In the US, there are some 5.5 million people in need of substance 
abuse treatment. The federal government only provides treatment funding 
sufficient to cover 2 million of those individuals. That means that 3.5 
million people in this country who are seeking treatment for their 
substance abuse problems are turned away. We know from a study 
conducted by the Rand Foundation that dollar for dollar it is twenty 
three times more effective to reduce drug consumption by investing in 
education, prevention, and providing treatment rather than trying to 
eradicate drugs at their source. Again, I strongly support the 
suggestion put forth by the attached editorial, that we should redirect 
the money we are spending to battle drugs in Colombia toward more 
effective programs here in the US, and I urge all members to consider 
it when making decisions on US policy toward Colombia and the Andean 
region.

               [From the Chicago Tribune, July 21, 2001]

                      Spend Colombia Money at Home

       In government, failed policies seldom are re-thought let 
     alone abandoned--they tend to expand. Rather than blame 
     flawed thinking or bad information, failure is interpreted as 
     a sign of insufficient time or funding.
       During the past 18 months, the $1.3 billion anti-narcotics 
     Plan Colombia has not markedly reduced violence or drug 
     production there--or made it more difficult or expensive to 
     buy cocaine in the U.S. Undeterred by such failure, however, 
     the Bush administration now is pushing a nearly $1 billion 
     sequel, the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, that largely 
     reinforces and expands past mistakes.
       Debate began this week on funding the new initiative. 
     Congress ought to consider alternatives, such as rechanneling 
     the money into expanded drug rehabilitation at home
       A key component of Plan Colombia has been fumigation of 
     coca crops. After fumigating approximately 128,000 acres of 
     coca--along with people, farm animals and food crops--the 
     effort has only succeeded in relocating the coca fields.
       Most of the coca that used to grow in the Putumayo province 
     has moved to nearby Narino. ``And if they fumigate Narino, 
     the problem will go to another place,'' warned its governor, 
     while governor of Putumayo estimated that half the fields 
     sprayed in his area were food crops.
       The military component of Plan Colombia hasn't fared much 
     better. Colombia guerrillas now are seeking shelter in 
     neighboring Ecuador, spreading the violence. And by failing 
     to deal with the murderous paramilitary units, the plan has 
     increased bloodshed. On April 12 paramilitaries massacred 40 
     peasants and cut up their bodies with chainsaws, and the war-
     related body count nationwide is up to about 20 a day.
       The Andean Initiative's solution to the spreading mayhem is 
     to continue military aid to Colombia (about $363 million) and 
     increase military aid to its six neighbors to defend 
     themselves from the aftershocks. Ecuador and Brazil, for 
     instance, would get about $32 million and $16.3 million 
     respectively to reinforce their borders with Colombia.
       Bush's initiative also provides social and economic aid to 
     these countries--a welcome change--but still nearly 55 
     percent of the entire package would go to military aid.
       Previous U.S. interventions succeeded only in moving coca 
     production and drug violence from neighboring countries to 
     Colombia. Now the process seems to be working in reverse.
       American addicts' insatiable craving for narcotics--and the 
     obscene profits to be made by suppliers--doom most supply-
     side police or military tactics, particularly remote-control 
     operations masterminded from Washington.
       Early in his administration, President Bush said he 
     appreciated this reality and wanted to increase funding for 
     drug administration programs.
       Rethinking Plan Colombia and channeling some or all of that 
     money into treatment and education programs would be a place 
     to start. Such a U-turn would not be a typical government 
     move, but it is the most sensible thing to do.

     

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