Newly designated White House Chief of Staff Rahm
Emanuel challenged President Bush to not focus on the FTA, arguing that the
priority is to extend unemployment insurance and healthcare assistance to
economically-embattled states.  "You don't link those essential needs
to some other trade deal," explained Emanuel. "What you have to deal
with is what's immediate here, and the lame duck is for immediate things that
are important. That's what should be the focus, right now. There's an economic
recovery package in front of the Congress. Washington should get it done."

House Speaker Pelosi has shown great leadership on
the Colombia FTA, and has not bowed to the President’s pressure yet.  We
hope that President-elect Obama’s views on the legislation will stand firm in
this debate.  We need to make sure that Congress will not exchange passage
of the FTA for passage of an economic recovery package or an auto industry
bailout.

This is especially critical in light of recent
events in Colombia,
where the situation has worsened.  In September, 18,000 workers in the
sugar industry in Colombia’s Cauca and Valle del Cauca Departments went on
strike in response to the refusal by the Sugar Cane Growers’ Association,
Asocaña, to negotiate with them for better working conditions. 

Two weeks into their protest, police responded to
the strike with violence injuring 40 workers. Government officials tied
the sugar cane workers to guerrilla terrorist groups simply because they were
exercising their right to organize and strike. Workers continued their strike
despite state efforts to criminalize legitimate social protest to improve labor
conditions. 

Also in October, the National Organization of
Indigenous People (ONIC) began a National Mobilization of Indigenous and
Popular Resistance across Colombia. 
The mobilizations drew attention to the dire situation indigenous peoples’ face
across Colombia
and protested policies which undermine their Constitutional rights including
the FTA. 

The initial government response to the peaceful
marches was swift, violent and excessive.  In Cauca,
representatives of the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca
(ACIN) reported that 73 people were wounded by machetes and unconventional
weapons. At least a dozen people were wounded by live ammunition. One person
was killed by shots fired into the crowd by the armed forces.  Witnesses
reported the use of high-powered weapons including M-16s. 

On October 23, after weeks of denying that police
had fired on protesters, President Uribe acknowledge that the police had indeed
fired live rounds into the crowd. The President’s admission was likely prompted
by a CNN video clearly showing a masked police officer firing his weapon. Click here to see the CNN video.

The month of October ended with confirmation from
the Colombian government that members of the armed forces are involved in
killing innocent civilians and passing them off as guerillas fallen in combat.
 This scandal resulted in the firing of 27 military
officers—including three generals and 11 colonels and lieutenant colonels,
however cover-up and denial of involvement persist at higher levels of
government. 

This long list of serious human rights violations
from just the last few months is in stark contrast to the claims being made
that the human rights situation is improving in Colombia.  It reinforces our
determination to stop the U.S.-Colombia FTA and end U.S.
military aid to Colombia.

We will keep you informed as events unfold. 
Stay alert in case we need you to take action to stop a lame duck passage of
the Colombia FTA!