Action needed: Congressional ltr on Panama

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

[NOTE: This posting is from the Fellowship of Reconciliation Reconciliation Task Force on
Latin America and the Caribbean / Panama Campaign]

PLEASE CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TODAY TO URGE HIM/HER TO SIGN
THE "DEAR COLLEAGUE" LETTER NOW CIRCULATING THE HOUSE IN SUPPORT OF
CLEANING UP EXPLOSIVES AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN PANAMA

Representatives Barbara Lee and Sam Farr from California on February 22 circulated a "Dear
Colleague" letter in the House of Representatives to support fuller cleanup of explosives on
US artillery ranges in Panama, as well as disclosure of documents about environmental
conditions and weapons tests on US military lands in Panama.  On the heels of the letter to
President Clinton from nearly 80 religious, environmental and human rights leaders urging
similar measures, this is a step forward.

The letter to Secretary of Defense Cohen points out that there are some 120,000 pieces of
unexploded munitions on US military ranges on the banks of the Panama Canal, adjacent to
where 60,000 people live, and asks whether the Pentagon is prepared to assume liability for
explosives found after the military leaves later this year.  Abandoned explosives have
already killed 21 Panamanians who entered the lands to plant crops or recycle metal,
according to the Panamanian government.

The Congressional letter also calls on the Pentagon to release documents on the history of
chemical weapons testing and disposal in Panama, in accordance with the Panama Canal
Treaties as well as the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).  "The U.S. should comply with the
spirit of the CWC," the letter asserts, "not just the most narrow interpretation of the CWC
language."

A "Dear Colleague" letter is not a bill or law, but an expression of will by members of
Congress, typically directed to administration officials or foreign leaders.  The more
members who sign, the greater its impact.  "Dear Colleague" letters also serve to educate
members of Congress about the issue, and can pave the way for binding legislation.

REPRESENTATIVES MUST SIGN ONTO THE PANAMA LETTER BY FRIDAY, MARCH 5.
Please contact your Representative this week and urge her/him to sign on to
this letter.

Congressional Switchboard:  (202) 225-3121

Representatives in the House who have questions or wish to co-sign the letter should contact
either Congressman Farr (Sandy 225-2861) or Congresswoman Barbara Lee (Linda White
225-2661).

For more information on explosives and cleanup of US military bases and artillery ranges in
Panama, contact the Fellowship of Reconciliation, (415) 495-6334.  Please pass on this
letter to your networks.  Many thanks!

The text of the letter follows:

March x, 1999

The Honorable William Cohen
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301

Dear Secretary Cohen:

        We are concerned with aspects of the U.S. withdrawal from military
bases and artillery ranges in Panama under the 1977 Panama Canal Treaties.
We fear that the U.S. government is preparing to walk away from its
responsibilities to adequately clean up U.S. military bases and firing
ranges in Panama that were used to test conventional and chemical weapons.
We are also deeply concerned with reports that the Department of Defense
(DoD) has failed to fully disclose documents to the Government of Panama
that bear directly on the environmental condition and history of land that
Panama has received or will inherit by year end.

        The three artillery ranges which the United States will transfer to
Panama later this year represent roughly half of the land area reverting to
Panama.  We understand that the DoD's clean-up plans for the artillery
ranges will leave more than 8,000 acres in the canal area as an untouched
"sacrifice area," despite the proximity of more than 60,000 people living
in adjacent communities.

        The explosive devices left behind on Panamanian lands pose harmful
environmental and safety hazards.  We are troubled by reports that
unexploded ordnance (UXO) used on ranges in Panama has led to the
accidental deaths of between seven and 21 Panamanians who entered the range
lands to seek recycled metal, plant subsistence corps, or hunt.

        We recognize the extensive efforts of the DoD to protect
environmental resources in the Panama Canal area.  However, we understand
the DoD rejected a Panamanian proposal to conduct an evaluation of
longer-term clean-up methods and mitigation measures such as those used at
Fort Ord.

        Military studies indicate that the ranges currently harbor more
than 120,000 pieces of UXO, a number which clean-up activities this year
will only partially reduce.  Can you tell us if the clean-up of these UXO
will be complete by December 31, 1999?  At domestic ranges, the DoD retains
liability for UXO that may be encountered after the range is closed.  Does

DoD plan to assume responsibility for clean-up of UXO that may be found
after December 31, 1999?

        Of equal concern is DoD's non-disclosure of U.S. documents
regarding the history of chemical weapons activities in Panama.  Under the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) ratified by both the United States and
Panama, the United States must disclose information on the nature and
location of sites in Panama where chemical weapons were abandoned, and
destroy chemical weapons left on the surface.  Undisclosed documents
regarding chemical weapons include a list of suspected chemical weapons
burial sites, the full records of the U.S. Army Tropic Test Center which
conducted tests of nerve agent.  We understand that the DoD has not
responded in a timely manner to requests from the Panamanian government for
these key records, and in some cases has explicitly denied them.  Many
documents regarding environmental conditions and conventional and chemical
munitions records in Panama are not even classified; declining to disclose
them serves no clear purpose.  The U.S. should comply with the spirit of
the CWC, not just the most narrow interpretation of the CWC language.

        DoD states that all information in Panama related to the testing
and storage of chemical weapons in Panama has been provided to the
Panamanian government.  There should be no question as to the legitimacy of
Panamanian requests for all information, regardless of whether such
information is stored in Panama or elsewhere.  We urge you to make prompt
and full release of these records a priority in the coming months.  In this
way, we will contribute to creating a positive legacy in Panama and
demonstrate the United States' global environmental leadership.

        As the United States and Panama enter a new relationship, the
decisions we make now will serve as the basis for what we can expect after
the year 2000.  We hope those relations will be collaborative in finding
solutions to the considerable practical challenges which our nations face.
By fully complying with the Treaties' and CWC's provisions for clean-up, we
will leave a positive legacy and establish a model for our military
drawdowns in other host nations.

                                                Sincerely,

end of message

Fellowship of Reconciliation
Task Force on Latin America and the Caribbean/ Panama Campaign
995 Market St. Ste. 1414
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495 6334
(415) 495 5628 (fax)