Sign the petition

Declaration of opposition to the use of seven military bases in Colombia by the United States

To sign the petition click on the link:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/COMBEC/index.html

The petition will be sent to the embassies of Colombia and United States in Canada, as well as to different organizations that operate in Latin America.  Some organizations like the Societé Bolivarienne du Québec/Hands Off Venezuela, Proyecto SUR, ASOCOLOM, and the latino-american committee of the Forum Social Québecois have already supported this declaration.

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Declaration of opposition to the use of seven military bases in Colombia by the United States

“The United States seem destined by the Providence to afflict America with misery in the name of freedom”

(Simon Bolivar, Guayaquil, August 5 1829)

We, the social, political and syndical associations of Québec, understand the ominous consequences of the imperialist interventions of the United States and its allies during the twentieth century and the first ten years of this one, especially regarding military operations and the installation of military bases in Latin America.

This was the case of Panama, which has become an operation base for the military objectives of the United States since 1903.  From this place was planned the military coup in Honduras with the indulgence of transnational oligarchy and the support of Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Prize. President Obama has been silent about this subject ever since.

The occupation of military bases in Colombia by the United States is a great threat to the integrity of the Latin American people, particularly Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador.  These two last countries have given refuge to the majority of Colombians that have fled their country due to the armed conflict that began more that sixty years ago.

In addition, the intervention of the United States in these military bases supports the also existing presence of Israeli military counsellors in Colombia.  This will contribute to an intensification of paramilitary actions, just as it happened in Israel in the past.

The lack of information in mass media about this subject is intended to isolate people from reality and will end by augmenting the amount of military presence in Colombian ground.

We state with great concern that with the pretext of fighting drug dealing and terrorism, the United States will occupy seven military Colombian bases.

We are aware that the use of military bases in foreign ground by the United States has attempted against the sovereignty of the people, and has had as consequence the systematic violation of human rights, and the persecution of social movements that stand for auto determination and for socio-political alternatives to end inequality.

For all of these reasons we emphatically denounce the occupation of seven military bases by the United States Empire, which will only leave pain and suffering.

We reject the arguments and pretexts given by the United States government and his obliging ally, the Colombian government, for the military occupation of these bases.  These two governments have manipulated public opinion by saying that this military presence will serve to fight drug dealing and terrorism.

We stand against the tacit or explicit support given by other governments, like the Canadian one, to United States military intervention in Colombia or other countries in Latin America like Honduras.

We support all initiatives that aim to solve in a peaceful manner the armed conflict that undergoes the Colombian people for more than sixty years.

We support the instauration of “Bases of Peace”, which are pedagogical spaces intended to inform people about the current situation in Colombia, as opposed to the military savagery carried on by the United States.

We support the principle of an agreement that will put a final term to kidnapping, will allow the liberation of hostages and put an end to military actions.  We oppose the recruitment of children by armed groups and we  want a “cease fire” agreement so that all the people that are fighting in this conflict can go back home.

We support the organizations and governments that oppose imperialist interventions in America and elsewhere in the world.

We commit to manifest our support towards all peaceful initiatives in America as well as our opposition to all acts of war, by means of public statements and civil mobilisation.