Civil war rages in Colombia

Sr. Carmi–a Navia Velasco's appearance at the CTA conference was especially timely. The Colombian theologian from Cali was asked about warfare in her country. She explained that the U.S.-led war against drugs is badly confused with the 50-year old civil war among four armies: two guerrilla forces, the government army and police, and associated paramilitaries. A nation rich in resources is impoverished by supporting all these armies, she said. Drugs are the U.S. obsession, but for the Colombian people the civil war is about social justice. U.S. arms only escalate the violence against the people.

By the end of November, Congress had tripled military aid to Colombia: $289 million in 1999 will fund planes, helicopters, and weapons -- and the U.S. will train pilots and maintenance workers. No restraints prevent Colombian forces from using the armaments against the guerrillas instead of against coca production or drug trafficking. Human rights groups warn that as in Vietnam, the U.S. is slipping into participation in an endless civil war.

Sr. Carmi–a's translator was Cecilia Zárate-Laun from the Colombia Support Network, Madison, Wis. To learn how you can help, contact CSN at 608 257-8753 or csn@igc.org On the Web, CSN is at www.igc.apc.org/csn


Balasuriya on Jubilee justice

For Fr. Tissa Balasuriya, the Sri Lankan theologian, celebrations of Jubilee 2000 will lack credibility unless we critique our theology of 500 years that has cooperated with colonial exploitation, and develop a different justice-based theology. Drawing on the April 1998 colloquium on Christianity, Colonialism and Globalization he hosted in Sri Lanka, Fr. Tissa stressed that while debt forgiveness for developing countries is laudable, in a deeper sense these countries owe no debt, but are owed enormous compensation for centuries of exploitation they have suffered. "How will the Christian developed countries of the West compensate African countries for millions of slaves taken," he asked, "and for their forced labor for building the economy of the United States?" he asked. Some work has already been done to quantify the reparations owed after the colonial period. In the former British colony of Zimbabwe, restitution for forcible land takeovers alone is estimated at $36 billion in U.S. dollars. The so-called foreign debt of Zimbabwe was only $4.5 billion in 1996.

Cancelling the foreign debt is is still essential as a first step. The major coalition working for that is Jubilee 2000 USA. 202 783-3566 coord@J2000USA.org Other jubilee resources are in the links section of CTA's Website: http://call-to-action.org Third World debt forgiveness is one of the focal points for the National Catholic Celebration for Jubilee Justice at UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif., July 15-19, 1999. The U.S.Catholic Conference has foregone its usual February Social Ministry gathering in Washington in order to convene the July event along with 30 national offices and organizations. Get information from USCC: 202 541-3153