RE: POLITICAL CONTROVERSY OVER OIL DRILLING IN THE U'WA REGION OF THE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA

Apparently, Mr. Robert Dole, Vice President of the United States, who happens to be the son of an ex-senator, has some rather interesting business connections. Apparently, Mr. Dole owns 27% of the stock of Occidental Petroleum, which his father has apparently been a CEO of/for. Occidental Petroleum, in conjunction with Royal Dutch Shell, is in the pro- cess of trying to drill oil on the government granted land of the U'wa people in Columbia. With the aid of people trained at the School of the Americas, this oil company is forcing the suicide of the people there, who would rather die than see their land forcefully taken from them and raped. As a matter of fact, I have also heard that some of our troops might just be going down there to help Occidental Petroleum out against the indigenous people. Ap- parently some of the indigenous people have already committed suicide.

I would be interested in knowing how the "Environmental" president wanna-be wants to protect the interests of indigenous people, the environment and human rights, all the while having a company that he apparently supports, through his business interests, doing such things to the land and the U'wa people in Colombia. I would be interested in an answer to my questions. MNA

EDITOR'S REPLY:

Robert "Bob" Dole is not and never has been Vice President of the United States. Cur- rently a private citizen, Bob Dole was a long-time U.S. Senator from the State of Kansas and served as the Republican floor leader in the U.S. Senate. He was the Republican Party's candidate for Vice President in the 1976 election, but lost to the Democratic Party candidate, Walter F. Mondale. In the election of 1996, Dole was the Republican candidate for President, but lost to the Democratic candidate, incumbent President Bill Clinton, who was running for reelection.

Al Gore is Vice President of the United States, having held that office since January 20, 1993. Currently, he is seeking the Democratic Party's nomination as its presidential candidate in the election of November 7, 2000. He is the one who wants to be America's environmentalist President.

Bob Dole is not running in the 2000 presidential election.

I am not familiar with any business connections that prominent U.S. political figures may have with petroleum companies involved in and/or affecting the political controversy in the Republic of Colombia over drilling for oil on U'wa land within that country.

I am posting your letter, in the event that any readers of The Progressive Conservative wish to respond to your questions and comments. A.L. Way, Jr.