vanzandt@uiucdcsb.CS.UIUC.EDU (03/16/86)
Contras and the Old National Guard: The Contras may not be the most humane people, but the one thing they are NOT is the Somoza National Guard. The number of living and residing in Nicaragua Guard is estimated (by all sides) the be in the low thousands, like 2000 or so. Assuming all joined the Contras they would constitute at most a 5% minority. It has long since been shown that it is impossible for the Contras to be dominated or influenced by the Guard - even the FSLN dropped this line of propaganda about 4 years ago. The fact of the matter is that the Contras are a haphazard band of disgruntled ex-Sandanista, some former Guard, and a large percentage of Miskito Indians. The Miskitos are the residents of ~45% of the land mass of Nic., that is the Atlantic Coast lands. The people represent about 10% of the general population of Nic. Since the Spaniards came, the Miskito (and the Rama, the Sumu, and the Creole) have never coexisted well with their western relatives. The indians of the east of suffered a history of oppression from the westerners and it is no wonder that when an undisciplined group of them band together that their rage vents itself in the form of the massacre of some of the western citizens. Source of info: Humberto Belli, former La Prensa Editor Area Handbook, 1981 "Cocktails at Somoza's", Richard Elman (visiting reporter)
pollack@uicsl.UUCP (03/16/86)
Lets see: if 2000 exiled former National Guard makes up only 5% of the FDN then the FDN must consists of 40,000 men. Isn't this estimate just a little optimistic? From humble beginnings of about 4000, the Contras have expanded significantly, using meat and (US) money to attract Nicaraguans whose diet was beans and poverty. The last estimate I've seen of their number is 14-18000. But 46 out of 48 of the leaders are former officers of the National Guard. This fact, along with well-documented cases of their use of terror, is why it is difficult to see them as "Democratic Freedom-Fighters." If the Sandinistas are Genocidal Marxist-Leninist Communists, wouldn't they have just executed all the Guard they captured, instead of simply exiling them? The current debate over Nicaragua in this network as well as in the country in general (fueled by our president's attention) seems to be completely lacking in history. I, for one, can't forget that the justification for funding the contras has been consistently changing: First it was to stop arms flowing from Nicaragua to the FMLN in El Salvador (an arms flow which has NEVER been substantiated) Then it was to put pressure on Nicaragua to have more democracy (The real reason was to pressure Nicaragua into a state of emergency and "War Communism") Then it was that we can't abandon our friends, who need clothing and medicine. (So that they can buy weapons with the money raised privately by philanthropic members of the US National Security Apparatus) Today our President will tell us that the evil Sandinista Government is not the democratic choice of the people of Nicaragua, but an "Armed Communist Camp," subverting the whole continent, closer to Dallas than Hollywood, and that the peace-loving Democratic Freedom Fighters need $30M more Clothing and Shelter from the cold winter coming in Central America and need $70M in weaponry to defend themselves from the Soviet Puppet War Machine. Look in your hearts, American People: Can we afford to do less? Jordan Pollack "We draw our very blood from the civilians they say we are killing." Adolfo Calero Chairman of the FDN and Former Colonel of Somoza's National Guard
myers@uwmacc.UUCP (03/19/86)
> "We draw our very blood from the civilians they say we are killing." > Adolfo Calero > Chairman of the FDN and > Former Colonel of Somoza's National Guard Good article, but I was not aware that Calero was in the Guardia. On last nite's excellent issue of *Frontline* on PBS, it was stated that Calero was an ex-Coca Cola distributor. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the preponderance of the FDN leadership are Guardia -- this was clearly brought out in the PBS special in the face of Calero lying about it at first. A lot of the show dealt with ex-General Singlaub and his campaign to raise money for the contras from private sources in the face of US law against such activity. Jeff Myers