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Op-Eds & Position Papers
Overall US Latin American Policy
31 Dec 2010 Our Goals for 2011 PDF 4 Feb 2010 With President Obama, we expected a NEW Latin American policy Apr 2009 More reasons why we need a new Latin American policy 28 Dec 2008: We Need a New Policy Toward Latin America by Gail Phares, reprinted from the Raleigh News & Observer 8/27/2007 "End torture now," letter to the News and Observer by Gail Phares The letter begins "I am deeply alarmed at the U.S. government's use of torture in Iraq, in Guantanamo, Cuba and other CIA detention centers ('Interrogation methods barred,' Aug. 20, news story). Mexico & Immigration
30 May 2010: Read Gail Phares's letter to the editor on immigration
24 Apr 2010 Faith and Immigration - The Religious Calling to Welcome the Stranger," by Gail Jerome Phares * Maryknoll, NY [PDF] 9 May 2008/Updated 18 Aug 2008 Oppose Plan Merida: Military Aid to Mexico. You may read more details and talking points at the Witness for Peace website. See also War on Drugs: What Won't Work -- Again By Hal Brand, 8-18-08 24 July 2008: "Night of Terror" Raleigh News & Observer criticizing abuse of immigrants in Alamance County 24 July 2008: " A Moral Issue: Letter to the editor, Raleigh News & Observer, from Gail Phares criticizing anti-immigrant attitudes and actions 19 May 2007: What immigrant workers bring, letter to the N&O editor by Gail Phares Colombia Human Rights & Trade
31 May 2011 Policy Statements on US Policies toward Colombia by the Mingas Network, a group of individuals from across the United States, Canada and Colombia who are concerned with improving labor conditions, promoting sovereignty and strengthening democracy and in Colombia. We are united in our support for social movements and our rejection of all acts of violence in Colombia, regardless of their source. 28 Apr 2011 Letter to Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, critiquing US policy in Colombia 18 April 2011 Inter American Commission on Human Rights Colombia Report The report underlines the “continued existence of circumstantial or structural situations that, for various reasons, seriously and gravely affect the enjoyment and exercise of the basic rights enshrined in the American Convention on Human Rights.” 27 Apr 2011 Sierra Club Remains Strongly Opposed to U.S.-Colombia Trade Deal 14 April 2011 two men tried to break into the home of Zoraida Hernández, President of human rights NGO Corporación Sembrar, in Bogotá, Colombia April 2011 Paramilitaries’ Heirs The New Face of Violence in Colombia, a 122-page report by Human Rights Watch Report documents widespread and serious abuses by successor groups to the paramilitary coalition known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC). Colombian peasant farmer union president, Jailer Gonzalez arbitrarily arrested by troops on April 16th President of Astracatol, a union of peasant farmers affiliated to FENSUAGRO. His arrest closely follows the killings on the 30th of March of Hector Orozco, the Vice-President of the Astracatol Chaparral section, and Gildardo Garcia, a lay member of the union, less than 400 metres from an army checkpoint. 18 Mar 2011: Sign a petititon to strop the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia. We cannot let this unfair agreement move forward. President Obama must not consider it until there are major improvements in human rights and labor conditions in Colombia. 7 Feb 2011: Read a Report on the 2011 Colombia delegation by Susan Baylies 7 Feb 2011: View View photographs by Susan Baylies of the 2011 Colombia delegation [toward the bottom of the page] 12 Feb 2010 Talking Points on reforming US policy toward Colombia PDF 4 Feb 2010 Letter in response to State of Union Address - Focus on Colombia 4 May 2008: Read Gail Phares's letter to the Raleigh News and Observer on US trade and immigration policies. 5 Mar 2007: Read Gail Phares's letter to the News & Observer, opposing Plan Colombia 2, continued US military aid to Colombia Trade Reform
3 June 2005 How to tell Congress to say NO to CAFTA 8/15/07 Read letters to the editor of the Raleigh News & Observer concerning free trade by two 2007 teen delegation members: Destructive trade deals by Ellen Biesack Fair, not free, trade by Vera Cecelski Please send letters to your US Representatives urging a NO vote on the upcoming free trade agreements with Peru and Panama. Read Gail Phares's letter to the Raleigh News and Observer linking free trade agreements and immigration, 27 Oct 2007.