WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) called on Secretary of
State Colin Powell to immediately decertify the Colombian Air Force’s 1st
Combat Command, a wing of the military that is implicated in the Santo
Domingo massacre of 1998, where 18 civilians, including several children,
were killed in the attack. Below is Schakowsky’s letter to Secretary
Powell:
November
20, 2002
The
Honorable Colin Powell, Secretary
U.S.
Department of State
Washington,
DC
Dear
Secretary Powell:
I
am writing to urge you to immediately decertify the Colombian Air Force’s
1st Combat Command so that wing of the Colombian military may no longer
receive aid from the United States. As you know, U.S. Ambassador
to Colombia Anne Patterson has recommended this action as well.
Since
1998, I have closely followed the Santo Domingo massacre. As you
know, 18 civilians, including several children were killed in the attack.
I have raised this subject with U.S. and Colombian officials at the highest
levels and have been urging the State Department to decertify all military
units implicated.
Massacres
are not a unique phenomenon in Colombia. However, the Santo Domingo
massacre is one of the clearest cases of the misguided and ineffective
policy the United States is seeking to implement in Colombia. Moreover,
this case is even more troubling because two U.S. companies, Occidental
Petroleum and AirScan, Inc., are implicated. Members of the crew of the
Colombian aircraft that dropped the bomb on Santo Domingo have testified
that they were acting under guidance from U.S. citizens who were flying
a surveillance plane belonging to AirScan that was patrolling the battlefield.
It is my understanding that AirScan was under contract with the Colombian
Air Force to perform patrols in proximity to Santo Domingo. In addition
to immediately cutting off all aid to Colombia’s 1st Combat Command, the
United States should assist Colombia in locating the employees of AirScan
and Occidental that are implicated in this matter.
While
long overdue, aggressive and appropriate action by your Department on this
case will demonstrate at least some measure of commitment by the
Bush Administration toward upholding human rights conditions placed on
U.S. aid to Colombia.
Thank
you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to your
timely response.
Sincerely,
Jan
Schakowsky
Member
of Congress |