Dear Friends, please join us this
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH
in opposing U.S. military aid to Colombia.
You can help in two ways.
(1) At 5 p.m. you can join us for a demonstration at Harvard Square,
information below. Feel free to make copies of the attached flyer and to
invite friends.
(2) Feb. 15 is National Call In Day. During Tuesday Feb. 15, or any time next
week when is convenient, you can contact your representatives by dialing the
Congressional
Switchboard: 202-224-3121 and asking
to be connected to one of your two senators, or your representative.
Tell them briefly that you are opposed to
the miltiary aid, citing the reasons in the flyer below. Letters are always a
good idea, so if you have not written your Congresspeople yet about this,
consider sending a short letter.
If you prefer to call locally, here are the local numbers:
Senator Edward Kennnedy
John F. Kennedy Federal Building, 2400-A
Boston, MA 02203
617-565-3170
Congressman Barney Frank
558 Pleasant Street, Room 309
New Bedford, MA 02740-6246
508-999-6462
Senator John Kerry
One Bowdoin Square, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02114-2927
617-565-8519
Congressman Joseph Moakley
United States Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way, Suite 3110
Boston, MA 02110
617-428-2000
Congressman John Olver
881 Main Street, Room 223
Fitchburg, MA 01420-3007
978-343-0777
Congressman Martin Meehan
11 Kearney Square
Lowell, MA 01852-1940
978-459-0101
Congressman John Tierney
Lynn City Hall, Room 410
Lynn, MA 01902-1028
781-595-7375
Congressman Edward J. Markey
5 High Street, Suite 101
Medford, MA 02155-3800
781-396-2900
James McGovern
34 Mechanic Street
Worcester, MA 01608-2424
508-831-7356
Stop U.S. Military Aid to Colombia
Our government is preparing for a major escalation of involvement in
Colombia's civil war. A $1.6 billion aid package will be voted on in the
next few weeks. In the name of fighting the drug war, most of this money
will go to the most abusive military in the hemisphere, one which often works
with paramilitary death squads who themselves
often traffic drugs. Massachusetts residents are coming together to oppose
this immoral policy.
On Tuesday, February 15, 2000,
National Day of Action:
* Demonstrate against military aid 5:00pm, Harvard Square T Stop
* Call your Congressman and Senator -- Tell them no more military aid to
Colombia
U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Key points:
* This aid package will not only pour hundreds of millions of dollars into the
most abusive military in the western hemisphere, it will
destabilize fragile peace negotiations. More military aid will mean more
civilian deaths.
* It is immoral to wage war in another country in the name of fighting drugs.
Our never-ending demand will always compel impoverished farmers in other
countries to grow drug crops.
* Colombia does need outside help. A positive aid package would include:
assistance for the over 1.5 million people displaced by the war;
crop substitution programs to help small farmers switch from coca to legal
crops;
programs to strengthen Colombia's civilian institutions including the justice
system and entities which investigate human rights abuses;
and aid for civil society efforts to defend human rights and promote peace.
For more information: Colombiavive@mindspring.com or 617-868-7770
WASHINGTON OFFICE ON LATIN AMERICA
WWW.WOLA.ORG
Sponsored by:
American Friends Service Committee
Colombia Vive, Boston
Amnesty Group 133, Somerville and Arlington
Community Church of Boston
Colombia Support Network, Boston
Rainforest Action Network