End UK Military Aid to Colombia

Britain provides highly secretive assistance to the Colombian security forces. Among those who have benefited are Colombian military units that have been involved in the torture and murder of trade unionists and other innocent people. Even more concerning is that there are no strings attached to the assistance – so even when Colombian soldiers kill people the aid keeps flowing.

Media reports say that Britain also provides aid and equipment to the DAS secret police. This is extremely concerning given that the DAS has provided paramilitary death squads with lists of trade unionists to kill. The DAS has also been involved in espionage and intimidation against journalists, members of the political opposition and human rights activists, supposedly using equipment provided by the British to carry out such activities.

Most shockingly the British Government has repeatedly misled the public about their involvement in Colombia. At times British officials have even lied and simply denied that there is any British military involvement in Colombia at all. They have also refused to reveal the financial value of the assistance to Colombia making it impossible for British taxpayers to know how much of their money is being spent and on what.

Please contact your MP asking them to call for an end to all military aid to Colombia. If Britain wants to help Colombia there are millions of people living in desperate poverty that would benefit from educational, housing and health projects. Providing assistance to those responsible for the human rights crisis makes no sense – especially when public services are being cut at home. However you look at it, the money could be better spent.

In September 2008 Justice for Colombia published this report on British military involvement in Colombia. Shortly after it was published the Government ended some of their military aid to Colombia but much of it continues today. We are working on a new report that will be posted here shortly. For more information see the links on the right.