The Wire

The United States Congress last week voted to continue funding its highly controversial drug eradication programme in Colombia, in the face of strong evidence that the production and availability of cocaine continues unabated. To date close to $6 billion dollars have been pumped into Plan Colombia since its inception in 2000, with 80% of funds going towards training the military to fight left wing guerrillas. A strategy that has increased since September 11. The aerial fumigation of crops has also been a centrepiece of the project and has come under fire for damaging both the health of peasant farmers and their long term livelihood. Human rights and peace groups seeking a re-evaluation of the programme, argue that the plan is clearly not solving the country’s most pressing needs but is instead supporting a military known for its human rights violations and is in effect prolonging the country’s 40 year old civil war. Adam Isaacson is the Director of Programs at the Center for International Policy in Washington. He discussed the issue with The Wire’s Paulina Vidal.