The North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee Blog

End Chemical Spraying in the Amazon Today!

Fumigation is inhumane, ineffective and environmentally destructive.
Click here to stop it now

Dear Supporter,

This morning we will travel from Bogotá to San José del Guaviare, in the Amazon basin, to document the devastating impact of recent anti-drug chemical spraying there. We will prepare a report and a short video to present to the Obama administration and Congress based on this trip. While in San José del Guaviare, we will invite Colombians to sign a petition to President Obama calling for an immediate end to this devastating practice.

Please stand with these Colombians affected by U.S.-backed chemical spraying. Take one minute to add your signature to the petition.

Between 2000 and 2007, the U.S. government spent over half a billion dollars for the chemical spraying of approximately 2.6 million acres of land in Colombia--the world's second most bio-diverse country. Due to U.S. pressure, Colombia is the only country in the world that allows this spraying--known as fumigation--as an anti-drug practice. Yet this practice has been a complete failure in its stated goal. Coca production--the raw material for cocaine and the "target" of fumigation--has actually increased by 36 percent since U.S.-backed fumigation began in earnest.

The chemical mixture being employed in Colombia has never been adequately tested for environmental and human health impacts. Yet people on the ground in affected regions indicate that the spray significantly harms both. At least 10,000 farmers have reported food crops killed by fumigations and the UN Special Rapporteur on Health said there is "credible and trustworthy evidence" that fumigations are harmful to human health.

Now is the time to end U.S. support and funding for this inhumane, ineffective and environmentally destructive practice in the only country that allows it. Add your signature to the petition to President Obama today.

In solidarity,

The Colombia Team
Witness for Peace

Witness for Peace
3628 12th Street NE. 1st Fl.,
Washington, DC 20017
202.547.6112 - 202.536.4708
witness@witnessforpeace.org

Travel with WFP to Colombia to witness the impact of fumigation