On Monday, directors of the Women’s Division of the United Methodist Church voted to appeal to the U.S. Administration and Congress for policies and programs that would reform U.S. Counter Narcotics Policy.
The Division is urging the 1-million member organization to advocate with the U.S. government to reduce the demand for drugs in the United States and the reduction of military involvement in Columbia and the Andean region, which is presently part of the U.S. "war on drugs."
The resolution comes after the U.S. decision to focus on military force to combat narcotics, according to Mia Adjali, executive secretary for global affairs for the Division.
"Funding for international narcotics control and law enforcement activities is one of the fastest growing foreign aid programs," says Ms. Adjali. "Over the last decade, the United States has spent over $25 billion in international drug control efforts."
But the military efforts are intensifying conflict, undermining democracy, and causing severe human rights abuses, says Ms. Adjali, as evidenced in the shooting down of the Cessna over Peru this weekend.
"The dramatic increase in counter-narcotics assistance is troubling, because a considerable portion of that money is being channeled into national security forces, which are committing severe human rights violations," says Ms. Adjali.
In the last 15 years, Columbia’s internal conflict has produced more than 2.1 million internally displaced persons, more than Kosovo or East Timor. Intensive aerial fumigation of cocoa fields forces thousands of persons off their land, causes severe health effects, and destroys food crops.
"The honest and creative people of Columbia are hoping to improve their situation and are tired of suffering from or fearing human rights violations and the consequences of corruption. They want peace. And the Columbian churches are calling on the U.S. for assistance."
Even with the "war on drugs," drugs remain readily accessible in the United States with the number of people dying from drug-related causes increasing every year since 1979. In response to the U.S. issues, the Division voted to advocate for stronger drug treatment and prevention programs within this country.
"The availability of drugs to high school students has increased. Racial and economic disparities in enforcing drug laws have torn apart families and communities," says Ms. Adjali. "At the same time, persons with drug addictions, desperate for support services, cannot get treatment."
"We need to act, but not at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Columbia and surrounding regions."
The Women’s Division represents United Methodist Women, a one-million member organization whose purpose is to foster spiritual growth, develop leaders and advocate for justice. Members raise more than $20 million a year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world.
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