MR. WELLSTONE: I THANK THE CHAIR. THIS AMENDMENT ESSENTIALLY
           WOULD TRANSFER $225 MILLION, AS I SAID TO THE MAJORITY LEADER,
           IT'S BY NO MEANS THAT SAYS WE DON'T PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO
           COLOMBIA, FROM AID TO THE COLUMBIAN MILITARY -- THE COLUMBIAN
           MILITARY -- FOR THE -- QUOTE -- "PUSH INTO SOUTHERN COLOMBIA
           INTO DOMESTIC DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS." SPECIFICALLY, THIS
           AMENDMENT WOULD TRANSFER FUNDS TO THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE
           PREVENTION AND TREATMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE -- AND

           I WILL MARSHAL EVIDENCE FOR THIS, COLLEAGUES -- DESPERATELY
           NEEDED FUNDS FOR STATE AND LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AND
           FOR DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
           FACILITIES; CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND OTHER FACILITIES IN THE
           COUNTRY. MR. PRESIDENT, BY THE WAY, PART OF THIS ENDMENT, PART
           OF THE ARGUMENT THAT I PRESENT TODAY IS THAT, YEAH, WE DEAL --
           WE DEAL WITH THIS DRUG PROBLEM FOR SURE, BUT THERE IS A
           CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE WE DON'T WANT TO ALL OF A

           SUDDEN MILITARIZE THIS WHOLE PACKAGE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
           RECORD OF THE MILITARY IN COLOMBIA. AND MOREOVER, WE WANT TO
           DEAL WITH THE DEMAND SIDE IN OUR COUNTRY. BY THE WAY, I'M SURE
           THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
           AGREE. NOW THIS AMENDMENT LEAVES SUBSTANTIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE
           COLUMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY. INCLUDING, FOR ALL
           SORTS OF ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, JUDICIAL REFORM,
           HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAMS. IT ALSO LEADS -- AND I WANT TO MAKE IT
           CLEAR GIVEN SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF THE MAJORITY LEADER --

           EXTENSIVE FUNDING FOR INTERDICTION, INVESTIGATING AND
           PROSECUTING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MONEY LAUNDERING AND FOR THE
           COLUMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE COUNTERNARCOTICS EFFORT AS WELL AS
           FOR OTHER COUNTERNARCOTICS PROGRAMS IN OTHER LATIN AMERICAN
           COUNTRIES. IT DOESN'T CUT ONE CENT FROM ANY OF THAT. I WANT
           COLLEAGUES TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. IT SIMPLY REMOVES
           AND TRANSFERS TO MORE EFFECTIVE DOMESTIC USE THE RESOURCES IN

           THIS PARTICULAR BILL DESTINED FOR THE COLUMBIAN ARMY'S -- QUOTE
           -- "PUSH INTO SOUTHERN COLOMBIA." NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, SINCE
           1989 VIRTUALLY ALL U.S. ASSISTANCE TO COLOMBIA HAS OFFICIALLY
           BEEN INTENDED TO FIGHT ILLICIT DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING.
           THE MAJORITY LEADER COMES TO THE FLOOR AND SPEAKS AS IF WE
           HAVEN'T BEEN MAKING THIS EFFORT. BUT WHAT IS SOLD AS A WAR ON
           DRUGS TO THE CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS FAR MORE

           COMPLEX. THIS IS WHERE I DISSENT FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER. THIS
           IS MORE COMPLEX THAN JUST A WAR DEALING WITH DRUG PRODUCTION
           AND TRAFFICKING. MUCH MORE COMPLEX. COLOMBIA TODAY IS EMBROILED
           IN THE HEMISPHERE'S LARGEST AND LONGEST CIVIL WAR WITH THE
           MILITARY INCREASINGLY LINKED TO PARAMILITARY DEATH SQUADS. NOW
           THE MAJORITY LEADER SAYS THIS IS JUST A MATTER OF WHETHER OR
           NOT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THE WAR ON DRUGS. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS
           AMENDMENT DEALS WITH. I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THE WAR ON DRUGS. I'M

           SERIOUS ABOUT INTERDICTION. I'M SERIOUS ABOUT GETTING THE
           ASSISTANCE TO COLOMBIA FOR THAT. BUT WHEN THE MAJORITY LEADER
           SAYS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS, THEN HE QUICKLY BRUSHES
           THIS ASIDE. WE DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE GOT A CIVIL
           WAR IN COLOMBIA, YOU'VE GOT A MILITARY LINK TO PARAMILITARY
           DEATH SQUADS WITH MASSIVE CORRUPTION AND WIDESPREAD HUMAN
           RIGHTS ATROCITIES. THE REBEL INSURGE IS I HAS ALSO EXPANDED
           THROUGHOUT LARGE SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY AND INNOCENT CIVILIANS

           HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THESE REBELS AS WELL. COLOMBIA, THIS
           COUNTRY NOW HAS THE THIRD-LARGEST INTERNALLY DISPLACED
           POPULATION IN THE WORLD. NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, BEFORE I GO ANY
           FURTHER, LET ME BRIEFLY, SINCE WE ARE NOW BY A 7-1 MARGIN --
           RATIO CHANGE AROUND OUR ASSISTANCE FROM POLICE TO MILITARY --
           THAT'S WHAT WORRIES ME -- WITH AMERICAN ADVISORS -- THAT'S WHAT
           WORRIES ME -- LET ME TALK ABOUT THE MILITARY. AND LET ME, FIRST

           OF ALL, QUOTE FROM THE 1999 COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
           PRACTICES RELEASED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
           FEBRUARY 25, 2000. AND I QUOTE -- "PARAMILITARY GROUPS AND
           GUERRILLAS ATTACKED AT INCREASING LEVELS UNARMED CIVILIANS
           SUSPECTED OF LOYALTY TO AN OPPOSING PARTY IN THE CONFLICT.
           GOVERNMENT FORCES CONTINUE TO COMMIT NUMEROUS SERIOUS ABUSES
           INCLUDING EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLINGS AT A LEVEL THAT WAS ROUGHLY

           SIMILAR TO THAT OF 1998. DESPITE SOME PROSECUTIONS AND
           CONVICTIONS, THE AUTHORITIES RARELY BROUGHT OFFICERS OF THE
           SECURITY FORCES AND THE POLICE CHARGED WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
           OFFENSES TO JUSTICE, AND IMPUNITY REMAINS A PROBLEM. AT TIMES
           THE SECURITY FORCES COLLABORATED WITH PARAMILITARY GROUPS THAT
           COMMITTED ABUSES. PARAMILITARY GROUPS AND GUERRILLAS WERE
           RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF POLITICAL AND EXTRA

           JUDICIAL KILLINGS DURING THE YEAR. THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
           PARAMILITARY GROUPS KILLED, TORTURED AND THREATENED CIVILIANS
           SUSPECTED OF SYMPATHIZING WITH GUERRILLAS IN AN ORCHESTRATED
           CAMPAIGN TO TERRORIZE THEM INTO FLEEING THEIR HOMES, THEREBY
           DEPRIVING GUERRILLAS OF CIVILIAN SUPPORT." NOW, MR. PRESIDENT,
           THIS REPORT GOES ON AND BASICALLY WHAT IT SAYS IS YOU HAVE THE
           MILITARY DIRECTLY LINKED TO THESE PARAMILITARY GROUPS WHICH
           HAVE COMMITTED WIDESPREAD ABUSES OF HUMAN RIGHTS, WHICH HAVE

           MURDERED INNOCENT CIVILIANS. AND, YES, COLLEAGUES, I'M ALL FOR
           INTRODUCTION, BUT I HAVE TO RAISE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT
           WE'RE DOING ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THIS PACKAGE DRAMATICALLY
           CHANGING THE RATIO OF OUR SUPPORT AND GIVING MUCH, MUCH MORE TO
           THE MILITARY LINKED TO THESE DEATH SQUADS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S
           WHAT OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT. MOREOVER, I DON'T BELIEVE THE MILL
           TARIZATION OF THIS PACKAGE, I DON'T BELIEVE -- THE MILL
           TARIZATION OF THIS PACKAGE, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WILL WORK.
           I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT. THE MAJORITY LEADER SAYS HE'S
           CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS. HE SAID IT IN A WORD OR TWO. BUT

           I'D LIKE TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THIS. HUMAN RIGHTS
           WATCH WORLD REPORT, YEAR 2000. COLOMBIA. PARAMILITARY GROUPS
           WORKING IN SOME AREAS WITH THE TOLERANCE AND OPEN SUPPORT OF
           THE ARMED FORCES CONTINUE TO MASSACRE CIVILIANS, COMMIT
           SELECTIVE KILLINGS AND SPECIAL TERROR. MR. PRESIDENT,
           DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, REPUBLICAN SENATORS, NOW WE'RE GOING TO
           GIVE THIS MILITARY A MASSIVE INFUSION OF MONEY FOR A CAMPAIGN
           IN SOUTHERN COLOMBIA WITH AMERICAN ADVISORS WITH THEM?

           THIS MILITARY, GIVEN THIS RECORD?
           AND LET ME QUOTE AGAIN. "HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT 2000."
           THAT'S THIS YEAR. -- QUOTE -- "PARAMILITARY GROUPS WORKING 234
           SOME AREAS WITH THE TOLERANCE AND OPEN SUPPORT OF THE ARMED
           FORCES CONTINUE TO MASSACRE CIVILIANS, COMMIT SELECTIVE
           KILLINGS AND SPECIAL TERROR." I WOULD ARGUE WE SHOULD TAKE THIS

           SERIOUSLY. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, MAY 3, YEAR 2000. JESUS
           ROMERA  ZAPATA, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER WAS ABDUCTED AND KILLED
           IN THE DEPARTMENT OF  ANTIGUA. SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER HE REPORTED
           MEMBERS OF PARAMILITARY GROUPS INQUIRED INTO HIS WHEREABOUTS
           EIGHT TIMES IN THE LATTER PART OF APRIL. ON THE THIRD OF APRIL
           500 PARAMILITARY REPORTEDLY ENTERED THE -- ZAPATA. THE LARGE
           NUMBER OF NATIONAL ARMY FOURTH BRIGADE TROUPES TROOPS STATIONED

           IN THE AREA DID NOTHING TO CONFRONT THESE ILLEGAL PARAMILITARY
           GROUPS. THIS IS A REPORT FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. AND I
           COULD GO ON AGAIN. THE ARMED FORCES, THE MILITARY THAT WE'RE
           NOW GOING TO PROVIDE MONEY TO WITH AMERICAN ADVISORS WATCHING,
           STANDING BY IDLY AS THE PARAMILITARY GROUPS VIOLATE HUMAN
           RIGHTS, ABDUCT INNOCENT PEOPLE AND MURDER THEM. AND WE'RE GOING
           TO BE PROVIDING ALL THIS SUPPORT FOR THIS MILITARY?
           COLLEAGUES, IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME EVIDENCE OVER THE LAST

           COUPLE OF YEARS THERE HAD BEEN A CHANGE HERE, THAT WOULD BE A
           DIFFERENT STORY. THIS IS A LETTER FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
           RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MR.
           PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT -- I WOULD ASK CONSENT
           THAT ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD. OPPOSED
           TO THIS AID PACKAGE FOR THE PUSH INTO SOUTHERN COLOMBIA. AGAIN,
           WITH THE SAME CONCERN ABOUT THE BASIC VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

           AND THE CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARMED SERVICES AND THESE
           PARAMILITARY TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. MR. PRESIDENT, I ALSO
           HAVE HERE -- AND I WOULD ASK THAT THIS BE INCLUDED IN THE
           RECORD -- A DOCUMENT --
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. WELLSTONE: -- WHICH IS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS NONGOVERNMENT
           ORGANIZATIONS IN COLOMBIA. AND I JUST QUOTE ONE SECTION. "IN
           THIS SAME VEIN, BECAUSE WE FEEL IT IA MISTAKE" -- TALKING ABOUT
           THIS PACKAGE, "WE'RE OBLIGED TO REJECT THE FACT THAT PLAN
           COLOMBIA INCLUDES AS ONE OF ITS STRATEGIES A MILITARY COMPONENT
           THAT NOT ONLY FAILS TO RESOLVE THE NARCO TRAFFICKING PROBLEM"
           -- I SAY TO THE MAJORITY LEADER AND OTHERS, THAT FAILS TO
           RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS RESOLVE THE

           PROBLEM. "BUT ALSO ENDANGERS THE EFFORTS TO BUILD PEACE,
           INCREASES ILLICIT CROP PRODUCTION, VIOLATES AXONIC ECOSYSTEM,
           MULTIPLIES THE PROBLEM OF FORCE DISPLACEMENT AND WORSENS THE
           SOCIAL CRISIS WITH FISCAL ADJUSTMENT POLICIES." AND THIS IS
           FROM A VARIETY -- HOW MANY ALTOGETHER?
           ABOUT 70 NONGOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING RELIGIOUS
           ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL, IN THE COUNTRY OF COLOMBIA. AND THEY ARE
           SAYING DON'T DO THIS. PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE. WE NEED IT. LET

           US GET IT TO THE CIVIC BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS. GET IT TO THE
           POLICE. GET IT TO SOME OF THE INTERDICTION EFFORTS. GET IT TO
           SOME OTHER EFFORTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. BUT DON'T PUT
           THE MONEY INTO THE MILITARY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN GIVEN THE
           MILITARY'S RECORD OF TORTURE, MURDER, WIDESPREAD VIOLATION OF
           HUMAN RIGHTS. MR. PRESIDENT, IN SHORT, CONTINUING TO PURSUE OUR
           CURRENT COLOMBIA COUNTER INSURGE IS I POLICY CLOAKED UNDER THE

           VEIL OF ANTINARCOTICS EFFORTS -- THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
           THIS ISN'T ABOUT AN ANTINARCOTICS EFFORT. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE
           VOTE IS ABOUT. THE VOTE IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO
           PUT THE MONEY INTO THIS MILITARY ANTIINSURGENCY EFFORT. IT
           RISKS DRAWING US INTO A POLITICAL QUAGMIRE. HISTORY HAS
           REPEATEDLY SHOWN ESPECIALLY IN LATIN AMERICA, THAT THE
           PRACTICAL EFFECT OF THIS STRATEGY NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION IS TO
           MILL TARIZE, TO ESCALATE THE CONFLICT, NOT TO END IT. THAT IS,

           I THINK, THE FLOOR IN THIS PACKAGE. THE CALL BY THE
           ADMINISTRATION FOR A MASSIVE INCREASE IN COUNTERNARCOTICS
           ASSISTANCE FOR COLOMBIA THIS YEAR PUTS THE UNITED STATES AT A
           CROSSROADS. DO WE BACK A MAJOR ESCALATION IN MILITARY AID TO
           COLOMBIA THAT MAY WORSEN A CIVIL WAR THAT HAS ALREADY RAGED FOR
           DECADES OR DO WE PURSUE A MORE EFFECTIVE POLICY OF STABILIZING

           COLOMBIA BY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, STRENGTHENING
           CIVILIAN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND ATTACKING THE DRUG MARKET
           BY INVESTING IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT AT HOME?
           THE DEMAND SIDE OF THE EQUATION, RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
           MR. PRESIDENT, THE DECISION TO FUND THE COLUMBIAN ARMY'S PUSH
           INTO SOUTHERN COLOMBIA IS AN ENORMOUS POLICY SHIFT.
           
           IT REPRESENTS A 7: 1 SHIFT IN FUNDING FROM THE COLUMBIAN POLICE

           TO THE ARMY. GENERAL MCCAFFREY SAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN --
           OF PLAN COLOMBIA IS TO HELP THE COLUMBIAN ARMY RECOVER THE
           SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY NOW UNDER GUERRILLA CONTROL. BUT
           HONESTLY, IF THE PURPOSE OF THIS MILITARY AID IS TO STOP DRUG
           TRAFFICKING, SHOULDN'T SOME OF THAT AID TARGET THE NORTHERN
           PART OF COLOMBIA AS WELL. SOMETHING STRANGE IS GOING ON HERE. I
           MEAN, IF WE WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN
           THE DRUG TRAFFICKING, THEN ONE WOULD THINK WE'S ALSO HAVE A

           CAMPAIGN IN THE NORTHERN PART OF COLOMBIA, WHERE THERE YOU'VE
           GOT THE RIGHT WING DEATH SQUADS EVOLVED. COLOMBIA IS CURRENTLY
           THE LARGEST RECIPIENT OF U.S. SECURITY ASSISTANCE. IT'S
           SUCCEEDED ONLY BY ISRAEL AND EGYPT. FOREIGN AID AND OTHER
           ASSISTANCE TO COLOMBIA SINCE 1995 NOW TOTALS $730 MILLION. 739
           MILLION. YET, THE ADMINISTRATION'S OWN ESTIMATE SHOWS 140%

           INCREASE IN COLOMBIA CULTIVATION OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
           COLOMBIA NOW PRODUCES 80% OF THE WORLD'S COCAINE. DRUGS TODAY
           ARE CHEAPER AND MORE AVAILABLE THAN EVER BEFORE. IF THE DRUG
           WAR WAS EVALUATED LIKE MOST OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS, I SUSPECT
           WE WOULD HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT STRATEGIES A LONG TIME AGO. MORE
           WEAPONS AND MORE SOLDIERS HAVE NOT AND CANNOT DEFEAT THE SOURCE
           OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS.
{END: 2000/06/21 TIME: 11-45 , Wed.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}