Here are some ways you can take advantage of Tuesday, April 26, National Call In Day on Colombia:

1. Work Rice's visit into your message for the call-in day. Here's a sample script: "I am a constituent calling from ____ to register my concern over U.S. policy in Colombia.  Secretary Rice is in Colombia tomorrow expressing support for the current policy of military aid and fumigation.  But that policy hasn't worked.  Drug production in Colombia didn't budge last year despite a massive spraying campaign, the price of cocaine on our streets hasn't changed, and human rights violations by the Colombian military have increased since U.S. aid began.  I would like ___ (member of Congress) to vote to change this policy, and to prioritize social assistance instead of military aid."

Background: Tuesday, April 26th is the National Call-In Day on Colombia, when activists around the country will be flooding Congress with calls for a new U.S.-Colombia policy.  To reach your member of Congress, call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121.  If you don't know who your members of Congress are, see http://www.senate.gov  or http://www.house.gov/writerep .

For more talking points for your phone call, please see our last alert at
http://www.lawg.org/countries/colombia/call_in_day.htm

2. Send letters to The State!  When President Bush traveled to Colombia earlier this year, activists got letters in the Washington Post and the LA Times, as well as numerous local papers.  Letters to the editor are widely read and are a great way to educate and send a message to your members of Congress.  See below for a sample letter.

Sample letter to the editor:

Dear Editor,

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Colombia today to voice support for continued US-Colombian cooperation in the war on drugs.  Media coverage of the two countries' close relationship shouldn't overlook a major catch: the drug war in Colombia is a certified flop.  According to the U.S. State Department, a record number of acres of coca, the raw material for cocaine, were sprayed with herbicide last year.  Despite the millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars that went into supporting this policy, Colombia ended the year with slightly more coca than it had in 2003-- and almost the exact amount that it had in 2000, when the policy began.  U.S. policy has also failed to reach human rights goals; the United Nations found that in 2004, as in 2003, human rights violations by the Colombian military are on the rise. Congress may approve close to $800 million more for Colombia for next year, bringing Plan Colombia's grand total to $4 billion.  Perhaps Secretary Rice should use the occasion of her visit to reflect on the shortcomings of the current policy, rather than proposing more of the same.  Individuals in ___ (your town or city) and around the country are calling Congress today to demand a new policy.  Secretary Rice would do well to listen to their concerns.

Sincerely,

(Name, Address).

You can find the contact information needed to reach your local papers by using Church World Service's media finder at http://capwiz.com/churchworld/dbq/media/ .

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