-Caveat Lector- Clinton Likely to OK Colombian Aid by KEN GUGGENHEIM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Despite objections from human rights advocates, President Clinton is expected to clear the way next week for the release of the remaining money in a $1.3 billion Colombian anti-drug aid package. ''The president has supported Plan Colombia and you can expect that he will continue to support Plan Colombia,'' said National Security Council spokesman P.J. Crowley. In a report issued Friday, human rights groups urged Clinton to block the aid, saying Colombia has failed to meet any of the rights requirements set out by Congress. The groups fear that Clinton will invoke a national security waiver to bypass the conditions -- as he did in August when he allowed most of the package's money to go through. ''We're pretty certain these conditions will be waived. That's the message we've been hearing,'' said Andrew Miller of Amnesty International, which issued the report together with Human Rights Watch and the Washington Office on Latin America. What's at stake is a relatively small part of the $1.3 billion package. Rights groups estimate about $100 million is left. Neither Crowley nor State Department officials could provide a precise figure. Most of the package was for the last fiscal year, providing Colombia with helicopters and other military equipment to fight leftist guerrillas who partly finance their insurgency by protecting coca fields and cocaine laboratories. Because of concerns about Colombian army links to paramilitaries blamed for most of the country's massacres, Congress set six conditions -- five related to human rights -- that Colombia had to meet before the money could be spent. But Congress allowed the president to waive these conditions on national security grounds. In August, Clinton waived five conditions and certified only one: that Colombia's president has directed that soldiers accused of rights violations be tried in civilian courts. Miller and George Vickers, executive director of the Washington Office on Latin America, said they expect one more condition will be certified: the deployment of a judge advocate general corps to investigate military misconduct. They expect the other conditions will be waived. ''It sends a p.r. message that will be played very widely in Colombia: That the president of the United States says that they are making progress in human rights concerns, when in fact nothing substantively has changed and in fact some things have gotten worse,'' Vickers said. Crowley said Clinton will act on the Colombian aid before his term ends next Saturday, but he said no decision has been made about how he will address the rights conditions. On Thursday, two Democratic senators called on Clinton not to use the waiver again. ''The Colombian military has still not taken the firm clear steps necessary to remove human rights abusers from its ranks or to ensure that its personnel are not linked to paramilitary organizations,'' Paul Wellstone of Minnesota and Tom Harkin of Iowa said in a letter to Clinton. ------ On the Net: State Department on Colombia aid: http://www.state.gov/www/regions/wha/colombia/index.html <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
