DATE=8/23/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-COLOMBIA (L)
NUMBER=2-265789
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: President Clinton has cleared the way for the
early delivery of a one-point-three-billion dollar aid
package to help Colombian security forces combat drug
traffickers. Mr. Clinton, who visits Colombia next
week to meet President Andres Pastrana, waived human
rights conditions for the program in order to get the
assistance moving immediately. Correspondent David
Gollust reports from the White House.
TEXT: The Pastrana government had only partially met
human rights conditions set by Congress for the aid
package. But acting on a recommendation from the
State Department, Mr. Clinton has signed a waiver
allowing him to go ahead with the aid package anyway
on national security grounds.
The one-point-three-billion dollar aid plan approved
by Congress last month will provide training and
equipment -- including 60 U-S helicopters -- to anti-
drug units of the Colombia military and police, along
with funds to strengthen democratic institutions and
shore up the country's troubled economy.
President Pastrana last week issued a decree calling
for military officers accused of human rights abuses
to face justice in civilian courts. But his
government has yet to meet several other U-S terms,
including the prosecution of leaders of paramilitary
groups blamed for widespread crimes against civilians.
In a talk with reporters here, Mr. Clinton said he
believes President Pastrana is committed to dealing
with human rights problems and that the aid -- the U-S
contribution to Mr. Pastrana's "Plan Colombia"
national recovery program -- is urgently needed:
/// Clinton Act ///
What I did was to permit Plan Colombia to go
forward and to be implemented, because I'm
convinced that the president is committed to the
proper course in human rights, he's submitted
legislation which is evidence of that, and
because we haven't given up our ability to look
into case-by-case allegations of human rights
violations dealing with specific military units
who can be kept from getting any of this
assistance if they have, in fact, committed
human rights violations.
/// End Act ///
Critics of the Colombian government's human rights
performance expressed disappointment over Mr.
Clinton's release of the aid money.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said the conditions
set by the Congress were not too much to ask, given
the amount of money involved and the risks inherent in
stepped-up U-S involvement there.
The Washington-based group, Human Rights Watch, said
no funds should be sent until all the conditions are
met. Its executive director for the Americas -- Jose
Miguel Vivanco -- told V-O-A it is very dangerous for
the administration to do business with the Colombian
military because of its close ties with the
paramilitaries.
He also says the U-S package, overall, is too heavily
weighted toward military aid and does not provide
enough for the reform of Colombian legal institutions:
/// Vivanco Act ///
I don't think the package, in general, has been
well conceived. There's too much and too many
resources going to military support and too
little for non-military aid. I wish we had seen
more support for the institutions -- rather weak
institutions, but institutions that are in place
in Colombia -- to investigate human rights
violations, investigate human rights atrocities
in Colombia -- like the attorney-general's
office, which is going to receive some support,
but not enough.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Vivanco also says it will be difficult to separate
U-S assistance nominally intended for anti-drug
efforts from the Colombian military's long-running
conflict with leftwing insurgents.
President Clinton will fly to Colombia next Wednesday
to hold talks with Mr. Pastrana in the port city of
Cartagena. He'll be accompanied by Secretary of State
Albright and a bipartisan congressional delegation
including House Speaker Dennis Hastert, in a visit
intended to underscore U-S support for the Pastrana
government. (Signed)
NEB/DAG/ENE/JP
23-Aug-2000 13:21 PM LOC (23-Aug-2000 1721 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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