Statement by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Indiana), November 17, 2000

Statement by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Indiana), November 17, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2000
CONTACT: John Cardarelli 202-225-2276

Burton Releases Statement on Plan Colombia

Washington, DC-- Chairman Dan Burton (IN-6) today released the following Statement on Plan Colombia:

"I have long stood shoulder to shoulder with Chairman Ben Gilman (R-NY) on the issue of providing more and better aid to our longstanding allies in the Colombian National Police (CNP). From the inception of the Plan Colombia package, I have called on the Clinton-Gore Administration to distribute the aid more equitably between the CNP and the Colombian Army. These pleas have always fallen on deaf ears. I again suggest the aid should be reprogrammed and provided to the CNP so that it can continue its mission.

"Absent a significant shift in the distribution of Plan Colombia aid to the CNP, I am doubtful Plan Colombia will do anything more than waste Colombian Army and Police lives, as well as U.S. taxpayer’s money. It is clear, the current approach does not serve U.S. national interests.

"Unfortunately, the Administration has blindly forged ahead to provide a lion’s share of the assistance to the Colombian Army. To date, Administration efforts have been disturbing. The Administration provided incorrect cost estimates to the Congress. This has caused a shortage of funds which in turn created mass confusion in the procurement process and substantially delayed it. The end result has been that the Administration is providing an inadequate amount of assistance and the wrong type of assistance to the wrong entity, which will ultimately trigger a resounding defeat on the battlefield.

It is not too late to avoid this impending disaster. If this and the next administration will work with the Members of Congress who have been involved in the Colombia situation for years, I am convinced a more reasonable and ultimately successful approach can be reached.

"The CNP has suffered more than 4,000 casualties fighting our War on Drugs. The CNP’s anti-narcotics units have been our only ally in Colombia who have consistently protected the human rights of Colombian citizens while successfully engaging the narco-terrorists. The CNP has the mission of establishing, enforcing and maintaining the rule of law in Colombia. Fighting narco-terrorist organizations clearly is enforcing and establishing the rule of law.

"Holding the countryside has never been the mission of the CNP. That mission is the responsibility of the Colombian Army. It is obvious the Colombian Army has had numerous problems holding the countryside. The Colombian Government may actually control less than half of its territory. It would be a great asset to the CNP if the Colombian Army was actually able to provide security and assistance to the CNP while it establishes and enforces the rule of law.

"Today, in Putumayo Department in southern Colombia, the FARC has blockaded the department and shut down the roads and rivers, effectively cutting off 350,000 people from the outside world. It has been nearly two months since the blockade began, and the Pastrana government has yet to free its citizens from this siege. The citizens in that area have run out of food, medicine and fuel, and have called on President Pastrana to declare martial law in the department and protect the citizens there. The CNP has been the only Colombian government organization that has been able to consistently fly in supplies to the area. Ironically, the Colombian Army Counter-Narcotics Brigade along with a significant number of other Colombian Army units are located in and around Putumayo, yet they have not been able to protect the citizens there.

‘Something needs to be done. The current approach is not working, and is doomed to fail miserably."

As of November 28, 2000, this document was also available online at http://www.house.gov/burton/pr111700.htm