News

USIS Washington File

23 March 2000

Fact Sheet: U.S. Outlines Proposal to Support Plan Colombia

(Administration has proposed a $1,600-million aid package)  (1250)

Following is the text of a fact sheet on the proposed U.S. assistance
package in support of Plan Colombia, prepared by the U.S. Embassy in
Bogota, Colombia:

[Note: In the fact sheet, "billion" = 1,000 million.]

(begin text)

U.S. ASSISTANCE TO PLAN COLOMBIA

PLAN COLOMBIA

The Government of Colombia developed "Plan Colombia" as an integrated
strategy to meet the most pressing challenges confronting Colombia
today -- promoting the peace process, combating the narcotics
industry, reviving the Colombian economy and strengthening the
democratic pillars of Colombian society. "Plan Colombia" is a $7.5
billion program. President Pastrana has pledged $4 billion of
Colombian resources and has called on the international community to
provide the remaining $3.5 billion to assist this effort.

U.S. SUPPORT FOR PLAN COLOMBIA

In response to "Plan Colombia," and in consultation with the Colombian
government, the U.S. administration has proposed a $1.6 billion
package of assistance to Colombia.

Adding to previously approved U.S. assistance to Colombia of over $330
million, the new initiative requests $954 million as an emergency
supplemental for fiscal year 2000 and $318 million in additional
funding for fiscal year 2001. The proposed U.S. assistance package
will help Colombia address the breadth of the challenges it faces -
its efforts to fight the illicit drug trade, to increase the rule of
law, to protect human rights, to expand economic development, to
institute judicial reform, and to foster peace.

The proposed U.S. assistance has five components:

I. Improving Governing Capacity and Respect for Human Rights

The U.S. assistance package proposes $93 million over the next two
years to fund programs administered by the Agency for International
Development (AID) and the Departments of State and Justice to
strengthen Colombian human rights and administration of justice
institutions. Specific initiatives include protecting human rights
NGOs, supporting human rights NGOs' information and education
programs, creating and training special units of prosecutors and
judicial police to investigate human rights cases, and training
Colombian public defenders and judges. The U.S. assistance package
proposes $15 million to support the Colombian government and NGOs
specifically focused on protecting human rights. These funds will also
be used to train and support Colombian law enforcement personnel in
anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and anti-kidnapping measures.

II. Expansion of Counter-narcotics Operations into Southern Colombia

The U.S. assistance package proposes $600 million over the next two
years to help train and equip two additional Counter-Narcotics
Battalions, which will move into southern Colombia to protect the
Colombian National Police as they carry out counter-drug missions. The
program will provide 30 Blackhawk helicopters and 33 Huey helicopters
to make the Counter-Narcotics Battalions air mobile so they can access
the remote areas of coca cultivation and cocaine processing in
southern Colombia. This assistance will also enhance intelligence for
counter-narcotics activities.

Funding for this element of Plan Colombia includes important
humanitarian assistance and development components. It proposes $15
million to help persons displaced by conflict in the region; that
funding is in addition to funds previously provided by the U.S.
government to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to assist internally
displaced persons in Colombia. This funding component also proposes
$16 million in developmental assistance, including technical
assistance and agricultural inputs to the farmers of southern
Colombia.

III. Alternative Economic Development

The U.S. assistance package proposes $145 million over the next two
years, including more than $45 million of new funds to provide
economic alternatives for small farmers in Colombia who now grow coca
and opium poppy plus another $30 million for regional efforts. As
interdiction and eradication make narcotics farming less profitable,
these programs will assist communities in the transition to legal
economic activity. This component includes programs to build schools,
roads and clinics as well as $15 million to strengthen local
governments. This component of U.S. assistance to Plan Colombia also
includes funds to protect fragile lands and watersheds.

IV. Increased Interdiction in Colombia and the Region

The U.S. assistance package proposes $340 million for interdiction.
The program includes funding over the next two years for radar
upgrades to give Colombia a greater capacity to intercept traffickers,
and also to enhance intelligence to allow the Colombian police and
military to respond quickly to narcotics activity. It will support the
United States' forward operating locations in Manta, Ecuador, which
will be used for narcotics-related missions. These funds will also
provide $46 million to enhance interdiction efforts in Peru, Bolivia,
and Ecuador.

V. Assistance for the Colombian National Police

The U.S. assistance package proposes additional funding of $96 million
over the next two years to enhance the ability of the Colombian
National Police to eradicate coca and poppy fields. This additional
assistance will upgrade existing aircraft, purchase additional spray
aircraft, provide secure bases for increased operations in the
coca-growing centers, and provide more intelligence on the narcotics
traffickers.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR PLAN COLOMBIA

RELATED ISSUES

The Peace Process

The U.S. and Colombian governments agree that ending the civil
conflict is central to solving Colombia's problems. A peace agreement
would stabilize the nation, would speed economic recovery and would
help assure the protection of human rights. A successful peace process
would also restore the authority and control of the Colombian
government in the coca-growing region. The U.S. government is hopeful
that the peace negotiations now going on between the Colombian
government and the FARC and the Colombian government and the ELN prove
successful.

U.S. assistance in support of Plan Colombia is intended to counter the
illicit trade in narcotics. All U.S. counter-narcotics assistance to
Colombia will continue to be in the form of goods and services. The
counter-narcotics components of Plan Colombia will be implemented by
the Colombian police and the Colombian armed forces. U.S. assistance
for Plan Colombia includes no plans for the use of U.S. armed forces
to implement any aspect of Plan Colombia.

Human Rights

U.S. assistance to Colombian military and police forces is provided
under strict application of U.S. law designed to protect human rights
- the so-called "Leahy Amendment." No U.S. assistance is provided to
any unit of the Colombian security forces for which there is credible
evidence of committing gross violations of human rights, unless the
Secretary of State is able to certify that the Government of Colombia
has taken effective measures to bring those responsible to justice.
The U.S. Government has in place a rigorous process to screen those
units being considered to receive assistance or training.

Displaced Persons

NGOs report that Colombia has the fourth largest population of
internally displaced persons in the world. The vicious conflict
between paramilitaries and guerrillas is largely responsible for the
forced displacement of Colombians. As many as 300,000 persons, mostly
women and children, were driven from their homes in 1998 by rural
violence. The U.S. government provided, in 1999, $5.8 million to the
International Committee of the Red Cross' Western Hemisphere
Operations for assistance to internally displaced persons, with an
additional $3 million earmarked for Colombia. The U.S. contributed
another $4.7 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees' (UNHCR) general fund for the Western Hemisphere, a portion
of which was used for institutional capacity building in Colombia. New
U.S. government assistance for Plan Colombia includes an additional
$15 million to help those displaced by conflict in southern Colombia.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)