cries@mtxinu.COM (09/28/89)
/* Written 4:39 pm Sep 27, 1989 by cries in ni:cries.regionews */
/* ---------- "Pana: Chronology of a Siege" ---------- */
PANAMA: CHRONOLOGY OF A SIEGE
(cries.regionews from Managua September 27, 1989
The following is a chronology of events in Panama in the
wake of the abortive May 7 presidential elections. From
"Pensamiento Propio" #63, September 1989.
*****************
May 10 -- Presidential elections annulled. US government
sends troops to Panama. Venezuelan president Carlos Andres
Perez calls for urgent meeting of Consultative Commission of
Organization of American States (OAS) in order to try to
find a solution to Panamanian problem.
May 17 -- OAS mediation commission formed with foreign
ministers of Ecuador, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago.
May 22 -- Commission arrives in Panama and meets with
government, church, and opposition party representatives.
June 15 -- Commission extends its time frame because of
continued disagreement between government and opposition.
Dialogue between two sides, says OAS, should begin before
July 19. Opposition suggests tripartite negotiations between
Defense Forces, opposition, and pro-government parties.
Noriega says military junta will be formed if politicians do
not reach agreement before September 1. He insists dialogue
has to be between political parties. ADOC (Democratic
Alliance of Civic Opposition) announces it will insist on
the same points in the dialogue: recognition of its May 7
election victory and Noriega's resignation.
June 22 -- "Group of Eight" replaces Panama with Ecuador at
insistence of Ecuadorian president Virgilio Barco. Socialist
International announces expulsion of Revolutionary
Democratic Party (PRD) at request of Costa Rican president
Oscar Arias.
June 29 -- Panamanian foreign minister Jorge Ritter sends
letter to OAS Secretary-General announcing government's
willingness to participate in dialogue proposed by OAS. He
says Defense Forces will be present.
July 10 -- US Southern Command carries out military
exercises 7 km. from capital.
July 16 -- OAS mission visits Panama for third time.
Dialogue begins.
July 20 -- OAS ministers propose government of transition to
take office September 1 and the holding of new elections at
a later date. Document calls for Noriega to step down; end
of US military and economic aggression; withdrawal of
additional US forces that arrived after elections;
compliance with 1977 Torrijos-Carter canal treaties; OAS
mediation during negotiation process.
July 21 -- US army mobilizes 800 soldiers in surprise
maneuvers on canal banks.
July 26 -- US members of Canal Commission meet without
Panamanian counterparts and raise charges on ships using
canal by 9.8%.
July 27 -- 75,000 civil servants protest US military
maneuvers.
August 4 -- Opposition proposes plebiscite for August 20 to
decide on whether or not Noriega should step down and
whether or not an ADOC election victory is acknowledged.
August 5 -- Talks break down.
August 8 -- Panama calls for urgent meeting of UN Security
Council because of provocations by Southern Command.
August 10 -- 1000 US soliders mobilized in maneuvers near
Panamanian military bases.
August 11 -- Opposition TV and radio station closed for 18
hours by members of Defense Forces.
August 14 -- Dialogue renewed. ADOC warns that positions are
irreconcilable. Proposal for plebiscite rejected.
August 15 -- Bush does not reject idea of resorting to any
method in order to force Noriega to be brought before US
justice and face charges of drug trafficking. US troops
carry out lightning maneuvers in center of Panama City and
US embassy grounds.
August 21 -- Tripartite dialogue ends without reaching any
agreement.
August 23 -- US rejects OAS call to lift sanctions against
Panama. Opposition accuses OAS of avoiding question of
Noriega staying in power.
August 28 -- Opposition denounces that a new government will
be imposed. Panamanian president declares it is possible
that a civilian-military triumvirate will replace him.
August 31 -- Foreign minister Jorge Ritter resigns after 16
months in post. US presents OAS with supposed proof of
Noriega's involvement in drug trafficking.
September 1 -- General Council of State - made of 60 members
of the government, Defense Forces, and pro-government
parties - names provisional government headed by Francisco
Rodriguez, comptroller general of the republic. Announces
elections will be called within six months. US says it won't
recognize new government and withdraws ambassador.
Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Costa
Rica, and Chile call ambassadors home for consultations. New
president exhorts opposition to dialogue and promises to
reform Electoral Tribunal and Constitution if US aggression
ends. Opposition conditions dialogue on discussion of
removal of Noriega and establishing new civilian-military
relations. New president proposes normalizing relations with
US.
September 2 -- Opposition calls for civil disobedience and
withholding tax payments. Opposition leader Ricardo Arias
states that "a non-violent civic resistance campaign" is
beginning. Regime finds itself isolated diplomatically and
names interim foreign minister. Foreign policy adapted in
order to confront reactions of condemnation and rejection by
various nations.
September 4 -- US makes public a list of 152 Panamanian
civilian and military functionaries with whom business
contracts are prohibited. 200 US businesses in Panama are
banned from paying taxes to government.
September 7 -- Vice-president Carlos Ozores denounces at
Non-aligned Movement meeting that US is trying to make
Panama into a colony. Carlos Andres Perez says president
Bush assured him that the US won't invade Panama and that
not until there is a freely elected government will the US
hand over presidency of Canal Commission to Panama, which
according to 1977 treaties, has to be done on January 1,
1990. Non-aligned Movement denounces US aggression against
Panama at same time as calling for free elections.
(We encourage feedback. Send comments, suggestions, etc. to
us via e-mail. Address cdp!ni!cries)
---
Patt Haring | United Nations | FAX: 212-787-1726
patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information | BBS: 201-795-0733
patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange | (3/12/24/9600 Baud)
-=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-