Statement of Luis Alberto Moreno, ambassador of Colombia to the United States, February 24, 2000

Statement of Luis Alberto Moreno, ambassador of Colombia to the United States, February 24, 2000
Statement of Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States, Before the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Senate Committee on Appropriations

February 24, 2000

Introduction

Chairman McConnell, Senator Leahy, distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to appear before you today to express my government's views on the Administration's proposed program of emergency supplemental assistance to Colombia. This morning I would like to urge your support of this proposal, to hear your views, and to answer any questions you may have. I plan to emphasize the following key factors that merit your consideration:

o The proposed assistance is urgently needed to address the problems and responsibilities our countries share due to drug trafficking and consumption of illegal drugs;

o The increased assistance supports a well-conceived, comprehensive strategy based on the strong cooperation of our governments;

o We are asking the United States to help provide us with tools to do the job of fighting drugs, not to intervene in our internal conflict;

o The U.S. assistance will supplement a much larger commitment of resources by Colombia and other members of the international community; and, most importantly:

o The assistance will support a strategy that is anchored equally on commitments to reduce drug production and trafficking, to achieve peace, to protect human rights, and to promote the rule of law in our country.

First, however, I would like to address a related issue. I am certain you have read reports in today's press regarding alleged links between the military and illegal armed groups in Colombia. My government is confronting this issue directly. In fact, much of the data from a human rights report cited in these articles comes from the Colombian government's prosecutor's office. We are investigating these allegations of links between military personnel and illegal armed groups. And we will continue to take strong legal action against any individuals found to have such links.

Since President Pastrana entered office in late 1998 have have taken aggressive steps to protect human rights, including: (I) dismissing senior military officials with poor human rights records; (2) selecting a chief of the armed forces with a strong commitment to human rights; and (3) declaring and enforcing a strict human rights policy that does not tolerate any links between the military and illegal armed groups.

Conditions Confronting Colombia Today

President Pastrana was elected on a platform to achieve peace in Colombia. But upon entering office he faced the challenges of restoring economic growth and confronting a booming drug trade. President Pastrana has taken bold steps to address these inter-related problems.

First, we have embarked on a path toward peace. For the first time in forty years. we have a framework and agenda for the negotiations. We hope to achieve peace by showing the guerrillas a non-violent way to enter Colombian society. At the same time, our negotiating position will be backed by the strength of our country's institutions, including the military.

Second, and equally important, we have moved with determination to restore the trustworthiness of our military leadership and the effectiveness and morale of our troops. I have already discussed my government's strong commitment to human rights enforcement. This policy has had results. Allegations of human rights abuses against the military have decreased dramatically. Still, we recognize that we must continue to do more to protect human rights.

Third, we have expanded Colombia's commitment to combating the drug trade. We have continued eradication and interdiction efforts in close cooperation with the United States. We have begun to extradite drug traffickers to the United States. We will continue to do so. Important successes, however, such as the eradication of nearly 130,000 acres in 1999 and arrest of several major traffickers as part of Operation Millennium do not obscure the fact that there is no miracle cure. We need a sustained, comprehensive approach and we have a long way to go.

President Pastrana has also attacked the economic ills that afflict Colombia. With unemployment rising and investment flows threatened, our government has made difficult but necessary choices to stabilize the economy. We have reduced spending, instituted banking sector reforms, accelerated privatization programs, strengthened our pension programs, and adopted targeted stimulus programs to create jobs and secure the social safety net. These measures, coupled with a strategy to increase trade and investment, will provide needed opportunities for the poorest Colombians and those displaced by internal violence.

Finally, to consolidate and preserve all of the expected results of our strategy, we must focus on strengthening Colombia's democratic institutions. We are working to improve the accountability and effectiveness of our courts, make local governments more responsive to citizen's needs, and to expand educational and economic opportunities throughout Colombian society.

The Need for U.S. Assistance and International Help

In spite of the gravity of our problems, we are very optimistic. We see the problems clearly and have the will to find and implement necessary solutions. These solutions are embodied in Plan Colombia, a comprehensive, integrated strategy to address Colombia's inter- related problems. Plan Colombia seeks to advance the peace process, improve the protection of human rights, strengthen the economy, enhance counter-drug programs, and promote democratization and social development.

President Pastrana's Plan Colombia calls for a total expenditure of $7.5 billion over 3 years. The larger part of this Cost will be borne by Colombia -- $4 billion directly from Colombia's resources and an additional $800 million in loans from international financial institutions. The Clinton Administration has proposed 1.6 billion in assistance, and we are seeking additional funds from the international community. In this regard, I am pleased to

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funding for alternative economic developments programs, and assistance to help the Colombian Government improve human rights and other rule of law programs. The Colombian Government and other members of the international community will provide additional assistance in these areas. As a result, the profile of proposed U.S. assistance does not accurately reflect the overall profile of Plan Colombia or the relative budgetary emphasis given to each function under the Plan.

Why the Congress Should Approve the Package

Before I conclude. I would like to explain why we belicve this Committee should support the Administration's proposal. The war on drugs is not a war in Colombia. It is a war that is being fought and must be fought throughout the world.

It is true that much of the cocaine and heroine consumed in the United States is produced in Colombia No one regrets this more than the nearly 40 million law-abiding and peace-loving citizens of Colombia. We have a responsibility to ourselves, to our children, and to our neighbors such as the United States to stop the scourge of illegal drugs. It also must be said that most of the cocaine and heroine we are talking about is purchased and consumed illegally here in the United States. We know that this reality is no less regrettable for the United States than it is for Colombia to be the source of the drugs. And we recognize and appreciate the costs and sacrifices made in the United States in the name of treatment, prevention, and law enforcement.

It does illustrate that our countries share the terrible burdens that illegal drugs place on our people. General McCaffrey stated recently that over 50,000 Americans die each year due to drug abuse. At the same time, successive generations of Colombian children are growing up in a country where profits from illegal drugs fuel daily violence, weaken government institutions, and finance terrorist activities that threaten human rights and the future of our democracy.

I urge you to support the Administration's proposal.

I appreciate your attention to my views. I would be pleased to answer your questions.