[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4124-S4125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, in a little more than 2 hours, I will join 
members of the United States and Colombian labor organizations at a 
news conference speaking out against human rights abuses in Colombia, 
speaking out against the pending free-trade agreement that would ignore 
those abuses and, in some sense, excuse them. Much of the talk about 
this agreement centers around the violence and impunity in Colombia, 
especially as it relates to trade unionists. And for good reason. 
International organizations, human rights and religious groups look at 
Colombia's record with alarm and urgency. Human rights defenders, trade 
unionists, community leaders, and religious leaders are today, in too 
many cases, receiving death threats from rearmed paramilitary groups 
such as the Black Eagles and are reeling from a new wave of violence.
  Before, during, and after a countrywide rally on March 6, 2008, 
against paramilitary and all forms of violence, at least two march 
organizers were killed. Union leaders Carlo Burbano and Carmen Cecilia 
Carvajal were killed for simply trying to voice their views. Three 
other social leaders were killed in events that also were associated 
with the march. March organizers all over the country received death 
threats. One organizer's house was attacked with gunfire on February 
29. Those human rights issues are serious. Yet the administration takes 
them in stride, barely acknowledging the Colombian culture of violence 
and then impunity, in too many cases, for those who committed those 
violent acts.
  In a short while, I will stand with nearly a dozen brave women and 
men who have come to Washington to give witness to the horrific danger 
they and their loved ones face every day. These brave men and women 
face threats to their jobs, their families, their homes, and their 
lives. They are under threat because they have taken a stand. They have 
fought for labor and human rights in Colombia.
  One message I want them to take back to Colombia is that we are not 
taking lightly what is happening to them. The administration may be 
taking it lightly, but an awful lot of people in the House and Senate 
and an awful lot of Americans don't take this lightly. We will push the 
Bush administration to take a stand against the violence occurring in 
Colombia instead of glossing over it.
  The President must not forsake our Nation's values, our profound 
respect for the rule of law, and our Nation's hard-won progress on 
behalf of labor and human rights and basic rights. Again, the President 
must not forsake our Nation's values and our profound respect for the 
rule of law or our hard-won progress to establish labor, human, and 
basic rights. The President must not forsake our values or dismiss the 
sacrifices of so many.
  The Colombian Government has taken steps to strengthen legal 
institutions and processes--I acknowledge that--but the bottom line is 
the violence is not subsiding. Murders of labor leaders continued at a 
pace of one per week already this year.
  Some newspapers have said the violence is down--and although it was 
down last year, now it is back up--and we should move on with this 
Colombia trade agreement because the violence is down. But when there 
is one labor activist killed every single week, it is hard to say that 
is an acceptable level. That is what people in the administration are 
saying. That is what some newspapers are saying, that that is an 
acceptable level of violence. No, we should not approve a trade 
agreement when that kind of violence is aimed at too many labor 
activists.
  For the sake of both our nations, the United States should not sign a 
trade

[[Page S4125]]

deal with Colombia that shortchanges workers, that rewards polluters, 
that gives businesses the same power as sovereign governments. Later, I 
will talk more about a part of this trade agreement and how it does 
reward polluters and gives businesses the same power as sovereign 
governments. In many cases, corporations will be able to override the 
democratically attained rule of law, rules, and regulations. More on 
that later.
  Back to the issue at hand with Colombia, we absolutely should not 
sign a trade deal that forgives treachery toward labor leaders, that 
says it is OK that these labor leaders are murdered. We in this body 
will fight alongside our Colombian labor friends for fair trade, and we 
will fight for their efforts to end the violence.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Montana.

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