LADBAC@UNMB.BITNET (Dr. Barbara A. Kohl) (08/28/89)
NICARAGUA: 179 PEASANTS IMPRISONED FOR COUNTER- REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVITIES RELEASED On Aug. 24, the Nicaraguan government released 179 peasants imprisoned for counterrevolutionary activities, bringing the total number of prisoners released in the past two weeks to 231. At a ceremony in Nueva Guinea, President Daniel Ortega said the release was "a gesture of good will." The action was in response to requests from the National Farmers' and Cattlemen's Union (UNAG), which seeks the release of all peasants imprisoned for counterrevolutionary activities. UNAG estimates the total number of such prisoners at between 800 and 1,200. The government has pledged to free all of them in September, said unidentified UNAG spokespersons cited by AFP. (Basic data from AFP, Notimex, 08/24/89) NATIONAL OPPOSITION UNION APPROVES CAMPAIGN PLATFORM On the evening of Aug. 24 after four days of debate, the 12-party National Opposition Union approved its campaign platform for the February elections. Juan Gaitan, leader of the Socialist Party and of UNO, told Notimex that the opposition coalition will not seek to change what the revolution has accomplished in the last 10 years. Gaitan said the platform includes among other things, trimming presidential powers, reducing the size of the army, and the abolition of obligatory military service. He added, "We believe that the first power of the republic is the Legislative Assembly, where the direct representatives of the people are found. The president is only the executive." Maintenance of a large army, said Gaitain, is not defensible in Nicaragua's current economic situation. Gaitan pointed out that if elected, the UNO plans to enforce a mixed economy, including state and private property, and the cooperative system. "I do not recall if the reprivatization of state enterprises was included in the platform, but I believe that it would be advisable in the case of some that are very inefficient," he added. According to Gaitan, UNO delegates will now proceed to select their candidates for the presidency and vice presidency. Notimex said that the two leading contenders for the presidential candidacy are apparently Enrique Bolanos, former president of COSEP (Superior Council of Private Enterprise), and Virgilio Godoy, president of the Independent Liberal Party. (Basic data from Notimex, 08/24/89) NICARAGUA: NOTES ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS REPORTED BY AMERICAS WATCH Representatives of Americas Watch met recently with Nicaraguan government officials regarding allegations of a pattern of human rights abuses that if confirmed would indicate government tolerance or complicity at the highest levels of authority. The charges publicly appeared in the April 1989 Americas Watch Bulletin, including a list of 40 alleged cases of human rights violations. A total of about 80 cases were reported to the government by Americas Watch, most reported between mid-March and June 21. Americas Watch was supplied with information to disprove the charges and recently issued a follow-up to this effect. Since the release of the April bulletin, the National Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Nicaragua's government agency charged with investigating violations, compiled the following information. According to the Commission, the war with the contras has created a climate conducive to a certain number of isolated incidents of abuse, but there has been no pattern of systematic abuse or complicity by high representatives. In less than four months, the government provided responses to 32 of the charges. The remainder continue under investigation to be concluded before year-end. Americas Watch was provided with information on 22 concluded investigations and on 10 others that are nearly complete. Of the 22 completed cases, only six were confirmed as actual rights violations perpetrated by government security personnel. Four cases involved victims who died in cross-fire between government troops and contra forces. Two cases involved persons who were found to be living, and quite healthy. Allegations of abuses in these cases were found to be fabrications. Two other cases involved persons who were killed while attempting escapes, one from prison. The other had been taken to a hospital for treatment after being wounded in combat, and tried to escape. In three cases, violations of rights occurred but the perpetrators were civilians, not government security forces. The civilians in question are currently in jail, and await prosecution. In five cases, evidence at this point is inadequate for either indictment or dropping the charges. Americas Watch was requested to supply more information. [Notes: Article 23 of the Nicaraguan Constitution establishes that the right to life in Nicaragua is inviolable. The death penalty was abolished in 1979 as one of the first reforms of the new government. Nicaragua is one of the few nations in the hemisphere where a significant number--235--of former members of the Armed Forces are completing jail sentences for human rights violations. Nicaragua encourages and maintains an open door policy in relation to visits by internationally recognized human rights organizations and has consistently advocated the adoption of similar policies by its Central American neighbors. Recently, Nicaragua presented a proposal for political verification of human rights by all five of the Central American nations as part of the regional peace process. As of Aug. 22, Americas Watch, Amnesty International and the International Red Cross were formally invited to make a head count in Nicaraguan prisons, and have been given access to the State Security Detention Centers.] (Basic data from 08/24/89 report by Agendas International, New York, NY) NICARAGUAN CONTRAS DISCHARGE FIVE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES; CHIEF REP IN WASHINGTON FIRED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT On Aug. 24 in Washington, contra spokesperson Bosco Matamoros said a "contra appellate tribunal" in Honduras dishonorably discharged five contras who were convicted in March of the torture and murder of a prisoner and of several rapes committed in northern Nicaragua in late 1988. Another contra commander was cleared of similar charges. The source said that in a separate action, Ernesto Palazio, chief contra representative in Washington, was fired for embezzling hundreds of t-housands of dollars of contra funds. Copies of the contra tribunal's decision furnished to the press said commander Isaac Blacker Hurtado, nicknamed Israelita, had the "premeditated intention" of murdering alleged Sandinista spy "Managua-2" in November 1988. Matamoros said he did not know the exact circumstances of the alleged spy's death, but said he was supposedly tortured and drowned. (Basic data from AFP, 08/24/89) NICARAGUA: EIGHT CONTRA LEADERS RETURN TO NICARAGUA FRIDAY At a press conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Aug. 23, eight contra leaders said they would return to Nicaragua on Aug. 25. One of the eight, Roberto Ferrey, said he and the others were willing to accept the Aug. 7 regional accords on contra demobilization. Guatemalan President Vinicio Cerezo reportedly provided the plane for the contras' return trip. (Basic data from Notimex, 08/23/89) --- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-