Colombia Free Trade: Whose Security?

by Theo Sitther

President Bush in his final State of the Union address in January urged Congress to pass the free trade agreement (FTA) with Colombia. In his speech he said, “I ask you to approve [the] agreement with Colombia . . . a friend of America that is confronting violence and terror, and fighting drug traffickers. . . . So we must come together, pass this agreement, and show our neighbors in the region that democracy leads to a better life.”

Justapaz, a peace and justice ministry of the Colombian Mennonite Church, recently released the report A Prophetic Call: Colombian Churches Document Their Suffering and Their Hope. This report documents cases of human rights abuses carried out by all the armed actors in Colombia, including the government forces. One such case is of a young farmer named Roberto who was shot dead, dressed in fatigues and presented as a guerilla member.

Colombia’s record on human rights and the rule of law is dismal. Colombia is still a country at war. In many parts, the 40-year civil war still rages, killing and displacing many people. Many other cases such as Roberto’s have been documented. Colombia stands as the most dangerous country for union and labor organizers. According to the AFL-CIO, as of December 2007, 38 union members were killed during the year with more than 2,500 unionists killed since 1991. Over 97 percent of these killings remain unsolved.

Furthermore, the conflict in Colombia is deeply rooted in an unequal economic system. The vast amount of wealth and resources are controlled by an elite minority and multi-national corporations, leaving many Colombians desperately impoverished. The cycle of violence and economic repression go hand-in-hand.

Colombia is already home to the world’s second largest population of internally displaced persons and is the world’s largest producer of cocaine; the trade deal will only worsen these problems.

The Bush administration and the Colombian government are engaged in an intense effort to convince Congress that Colombia will be more secure and free under a trade deal. However, based on past experiences with other trade agreements, the FTA will not provide economic security to the Colombian people. In fact, it will deepen economic disparity, fuel the ongoing conflict and fill the pockets of the rich.

The report by Justapaz also documents signs of hope in Colombia. The report states, “While the great debates and national governmental actions have focused on war, negotiations, and rights of those who possess weapons, the churches instead work to understand the victim. The churches see victims not only as the protagonists of the story, but as integral beings,” who participate in the well-being of the whole community.

Colombian churches and the victims of war and economic repression need support. U.S. policy must work to support the “least of these” and not those who are already on top of the economic scale.

Call on your member of Congress to vote against the Colombia FTA and stand with Colombian brothers and sisters by joining in the Days of Prayer & Action.