(July 4 article) Al Gore continues to deceive us about his relations with big oil.
“It takes somebody who is independent from big oil to take on big oil, and I’m independent from them,” he stated. However, Gore’s longtime, cozy relationship with Occidental Petroleum (campaign contributions, payments on mining royalties, up to $1 million in stocks in the company) makes it hard to believe his campaign rhetoric.
Gore’s conflict of interest might well explain why the so-called environmental vice president has failed to speak out on Occidental’s controversial plans to drill on the U’wa people’s land in the Colombian rainforest. The U’wa are a traditional, indigenous people who cannot survive if their homeland is devastated by oil drilling.
In fact, the U’wa are so concerned about the project that they are willing to die protecting their territory. Nonviolent U’wa protesters blockading the proposed drill site have been attacked several times by the Colombian security forces (soon to be equipped with more than $1 billion in new U.S. military aid).
At least three peaceful protesters have been killed and dozens seriously injured in recent weeks.
Why doesn’t Gore speak out to support the U’wa and stop this human rights and environmental tragedy before it’s too late?
If Gore truly wants voters to trust him, he should speak out on behalf of the U’wa people and end the affair with Occidental.
Ilsa Govan, Olympia Start with www.theolympian.com
SERVING WASHINGTON’S SOUTH PUGET SOUND
