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)
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