Pubdate: Tue, 06 Jun 2000
Source: New Haven Advocate (CT)
Copyright: 2000 New Mass Media, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/
Section; News Briefs
Author: Catherine Byun, New Haven Advocate Staff

DELAURO: ALL FOR THE KIDS

The Coordinating Council for Children in Crisis gave U.S. Rep. Rosa
DeLauro its Richard Manware Humanitarian Award last week for her
extensive work for the advancement of children's issues in
Connecticut.

One month earlier, The New York Times reported allegations of
U.S.-financed planes repeatedly spraying pesticides on schoolchildren
in a Colombian village. DeLauro not only supports but actively
promotes sending over a billion dollars to the Colombian government
for this kind of anti-narcotics effort even though a) domestic drug
demand reduction is 23 times more effective than supply-side
reduction, b) the Colombian government has a notoriously bad human
rights record and c) the Colombian government, its paramilitary allies
and the rebels they're fighting are all deeply involved in a
40-year-old civil war and are all deeply involved in drug
trafficking.

Asked after the CCCC award ceremony if she had a few minutes to
discuss this apparent discrepancy between her humanitarian work and
her disregard for the human rights of Colombian civilians, DeLauro was
dismissive: "Could I enjoy my evening?" she said, and walked away.
When asked again later if she had a few minutes, she curtly replied,
"Frankly, no, I don't," and shot out of the Omni hotel reception room
with a phalanx of suited men.

The House of Representatives--DeLauro included--voted this spring to
send 30 Black Hawk helicopters to Colombia for anti-narcotics police.
Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of the United Technologies Corp.,
makes the Black Hawks in Stratford, part of DeLauro's district. If the
Senate approves the same aid package, Sikorsky will take the largest
chunk, $360 million. An interesting note: United Technologies has
given DeLauro $14,000 in campaign contributions since her 1998 campaign.

Then again, maybe DeLauro isn't just caving into big-money pressure.
Maybe she's doing it in the interest of the Connecticut economy, for
the children of Connecticut. That's what she's got to keep telling
herself: The kids. It's for the good of the kids. Just not the
Colombian ones.
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MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson