Democratic Party Trick Becomes Treat for U'wa Tribe
Environmentalists Continue to Hound Gore for His Silence
WASHINGTON - November 1 - Halloween trickery by the Democratic
National Committee backfired today when a lawyer who had claimed to
represent the U'wa people, and who used that platform to endorse Al
Gore, was forced to admit that indeed, he did not represent the
Colombian tribe. The misleading personal opinion letter by Spencer Adler
circulated yesterday with a false subject line by the Democratic
National Committee was quickly amended by Mr. Adler with a second letter
and sweetened with a $5000 check for the U'wa. The Vice President's
continued refusal to take a stand to protect the U'wa people has
generated more than thirty protests in the last month alone.
"The Democratic National Committee, by widely circulating this false and
misleading statement, has deliberately used the U'wa people for their
own political gain" said Steve Kretzmann of Amazon Watch. Members of the
DNC were immediately contacted about the misstatements in Mr. Adler's
letter, but refused to retract the statement.
The UDWG is nonpartisan and does not endorse any political candidate.
Several member organizations have been conducting a campaign to bring
the urgent plight of the U'wa to the attention of Vice President Al Gore
for the last 2 � years-and to demand action from him because of his
long-standing relationship with Occidental Petroleum, and his professed
concern for the environment.
"The Vice President's continued silence on this issue is shocking" said
Shannon Wright of the Rainforest Action Network. "Our organizations
believe Al Gore has a specific responsibility to act on this issue
because of his personal and political connections to Occidental
Petroleum. His failure to respond in any substantive way is a direct
threat to the survival of the U'wa people."
The Vice President's deep and complex relationship with Occidental
Petroleum is well documented and beyond question. Decades of payments
from Oxy to Gore for land never mined, current Oxy CEO Irani in the
Lincoln bedroom, Gore Sr.'s 28 years as an Occidental employee, the
favors from former Oxy CEO Armand Hammer, and the lingering questions
regarding Gore's role in the sale of federal lands to Oxy -- all give
credible weight to the Center for Public Integrity's assertion that
"there is probably no company in America today that is as close
personally and financially to the Vice President as Occidental
Petroleum." (See the Center for Public Integrity.)
The Vice President also controls up to a million dollars in Occidental
stock, according to his latest personal disclosure form. Rather than
respond to citizen concerns on this issue, Al Gore has cynically
attempted to evade responsibility by appointing his brother in law Frank
Hunger the trustee of his the estate, just days after an ABC News piece
on this issue in March of 2000.
The Vice President attempts to argue that his direction to the Secretary
of State to raise this issue with Colombian President Pastrana
constitutes substantive action. There is no independent evidence that
Secretary Albright ever contacted President Pastrana about the U'wa.
Even if there was, this does not constitute substantive action, argue
members of the UDWG. "Rather than pressure Pastrana to respect human
rights, the Clinton/Gore administration has not only lobbied heavily for
military aid to Colombia, but has waived the human rights conditions of
the law" said Atossa Soltani, Director of Amazon Watch. "We and the U'wa
demand that Gore immediately endorse a suspension of this project,
pending the resolution of outstanding legal and human rights questions."
In a recent letter to the Vice President, U'wa Council President Roberto
Perez said: "We don't want to have to hold you responsible for the
destruction of our culture. Your silence signifies the death of Planet
Earth and consequently of the possibility of life upon her." Occidental
Petroleum, escorted by up to 4,000 members of the Colombian military,
has moved drilling equipment into place on U'wa land. Drilling
reportedly could begin in the coming week.
NOTE: Copies of Mr. Adler's statements and other background available
from Rainforest Action Network.
###
Common Dreams NewsCenter is a non-profit news service
providing breaking news and views for the Progressive Community.
The press release posted here has been provided to Common Dreams
NewsWire by one of the many progressive organizations who make up
America's Progressive Community. If you wish to comment on this press
release or would like more information, please contact the organization
directly.
*all times Eastern US (GMT-5:00)
Making News?
E-mail us your news release! news@newscenter.org
NewsCenter | NewsWire
Search | Contacting Us | Sign-Up | Privacy
Tell Us What You Think: editor@newscenter.org
--
http://www.latinorepublican.com
http://www.ungore2000.com/
http://www.enterstageright.com/
http://www.hereliesalgore.com/
http://hometown.aol.com/calmal897/myhomepage/election.html
http://www.georgewbush.com
|