TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2009

Nicaragua Network Hotline (November 17, 2009)

1. Amnesty International asks Supreme Court to rule on petition to legalize therapeutic abortion
2. Preparations unfold for two marches on Nov. 21; Liberal International leaders visit
3. Costa Rican Supreme Court hears arguments on gold mine near border with Nicaragua
4. Government to expand participation in ALBA
5. Peace Corps promotes entrepreneurial spirit
6. Miracle Mission benefits nearly 60,000 Nicaraguans

Topic 1: Amnesty International asks Supreme Court rule on petition to legalize therapeutic abortion

Amnesty International (AI) released a statement expressing concern about the delay by the Supreme Court in announcing a decision on an appeal of the law criminalizing therapeutic abortion which was brought by civil society organizations. “We are very concerned at the lack of certainty and that the Court continues to delay its ruling,” said the statement quoting AI's Deputy Director of the Americas Program, Kerrie Howard. She said, “Pregnant women and girls are being denied life saving medical treatment and medical professionals are criminalized for doing their jobs." “The lives of many women and girls depend on the Court's decision,” she added.

The Amnesty International statement called attention to the fact that since the law criminalizing therapeutic abortion came into effect, four committees of experts that monitor compliance with United Nations agreements have communicated to the Nicaraguan government that the law violates the government's obligation to protect the human rights of the women and girls. Citing official statistics, the AI statement said 33 women and girls have died during pregnancy so far this year and that 20 died during the same period last year. AI also stated that it doesn't believe these statistics reflect the true number of deaths and that the Nicaraguan government recognizes that not all the deaths are officially registered.

Topic 2: Preparations unfold for two marches on Nov. 21; Liberal International leaders visit

Sandinista and opposition marches will compete for attendance on Nov. 21, but organizers of both promise that they will be peaceful. Gustavo Porras, head of the National Workers Front (FNT) and a Sandinista Deputy in the National Assembly, said that the Sandinista “March of Victory” will be a “peaceful demonstration without [homemade] mortars” and that 100,000 people would participate. He said that “We will all be there, all the workers and honest citizens who want a system with social justice.” The Sandinista march was announced as a response to an opposition march scheduled for that date.

Civil society groups and opposition political parties said their demonstration was called to protest what they continue to claim was fraud in the municipal elections of Nov. 2008 and the recent Supreme Court decision to allow presidential and mayoral reelection in 2011. The opposition press said that the Sandinistas were planning to prevent the opposition from marching. El Nuevo Diario published quotes from an unsubstantiated document including, “The CPCs [Councils of Citizen Power] should harass members of the opposition, burn tires in the street and make noise in the neighborhoods so that no one comes out of their houses.”

National Police Chief Aminta Granera said, “The problem is not whether there are two or even three marches; the problem is the behavior of the people who participate, and if the marches are carried out in a peaceful way, respecting the law, we will be contributing to peaceful coexistence in our country.” She said that the police had mandated that the marches keep a prudent distance between them to prevent attacks adding, “The Police will have all the means necessary and all of its forces to provide security and protection for the people who participate in the marches.” She said that details of the plans for maintaining order the day of the marches will be presented to the organizations on Nov. 17.

In other opposition news, four members of the Liberal International (LI) [the world federation of Liberal Parties] visited Nicaragua last week for three days where they called for the various Liberal party factions to unify behind a single candidate for the 2011 presidential candidate. They also praised Honduran coup leader Roberto Micheletti and announced that two weeks ago LI named him one of their vice-presidents.

The LI delegation also met with Head of the Nicaraguan Army General Omar Hallesleven, members of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), and the Nicaraguan American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM). Several days after the meeting with the army, President Daniel Ortega, at a ceremony during which he gave motorcycles to the National Police along with the titles to 54 houses to the families members said, “[LI President Johannes van Baalen] held a meeting with the high command of the Nicaraguan Army on the pretext of congratulating them on the 30th anniversary of their founding but when he was in the meeting he wanted to know if the Nicaraguan Army had the same attitude as that of the Honduran army. However, he found, instead, that they were patriotic.”

Topic 3: Costa Rican Supreme Court hears arguments on gold mine near border with Nicaragua

Corporate and government representatives confronted environmentalists and scientists for two days last week when the Costa Rican Supreme Court heard arguments for and against an open pit gold mine less than three kilometers from the banks of the San Juan River, which belongs to Nicaragua. The southern bank of the river forms the international border between the two countries. According to those opposing the project, the mine would cause contamination of the San Juan River, the most important watershed in Central America, and the destruction of the forest in the area of the mine.

Luis Diego Marin, of Preserve Planet headquartered in Cartago, Costa Rica, said that the hearing was “a complete success” for the opponents of the mine. He said that the presentation by Minister of the Environment Jorge Rodriguez was “a joke” because he behaved like a faithful employee of Infinito Gold. Marin said, “This is one more example of the thoughtlessness of the Oscar Arias government which, without any contemplation, declares war on nature.” Infinito Gold, Ltd., headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, wants to dig the largest open pit gold mine in Central America to extract 650,000 ounces of gold over 12 years.

Alberto Cortes, of the University of Costa Rica asked the government to reevaluate the environmental impact of the project and revise the Mining Law to reflect principles of sustainable development. He called for an indefinite moratorium on open pit mining saying it was a threat to the biodiversity of the country and to its stated commitment to environmentally sound development. Jose Maria Villalta, lawyer and environmentalist, said that the justices “have gotten a lot of pressure from the government and from the company but at the same time the communities presented technical arguments demonstrating that things are not as they have been told.”

The company's general manager, Juan Carlos Obando, said that among the benefits the mine would bring would be the reforestation of 380 hectares, the jobs the project would generate and the development of social projects for nearby communities. He said there was no risk of contamination by cyanide because the sites where the liquid metal would be used would be secure structures in compliance with all international norms. The Court will announce its ruling in approximately 30 days.

Topic 4: Government to expand participation in ALBA

The Nicaraguan government is preparing a 2010 plan to involve more citizens in the projects of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA), according to Citizenship and Communications Council head Rosario Murillo. The government's Production Cabinet met on Nov. 12 to examine topics such as how to increase the number of Nicaraguan farmers who can export their products to Venezuela under ALBA.

Murillo said that another goal was to measure the benefits of the Zero Hunger Program. She noted that the women participating in the program are producing milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables that they can sell to neighbors at a lower price than in the markets of the cities. Also to be evaluated is the impact of Zero Hunger on child and adult nutrition.

Murillo explained that President Daniel Ortega will receive the list of products and the quality requirements for the Venezuelan market and that the government will provide technical assistance to help farmers meet the requirements. “So gradually more Nicaraguans will have the capacity to meet the quality requirements of the Venezuelan market and will be able to sell their products to Venezuela at just prices,” Murillo said. “Fair prices, fair trade, relations that complement each other, relations based on a model that is socialist and Christian, that is ALBA,” she stated.

Topic 5: Peace Corps promotes entrepreneurial spirit

In a change from its historical mission of promoting community development in poor towns and villages, the Peace Corps in Nicaragua is promoting entrepreneurship and private enterprise among Nicaraguan youth. “The Peace Corps has a very active program to teach English, to promote entrepreneurship, and health and education in the country,” explained US Ambassador Robert Callahan. The Peace Corp has more than 200 volunteers serving in every department of Nicaragua. Callahan expressed the hope that they can increase their numbers in the Atlantic Coast Autonomous Regions. “The Peace Corps is good not only to promote the economic and social development of Nicaragua, but also creates an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas between North Americans and Nicaraguans,” Callahan said.

Topic 6: Miracle Mission benefits nearly 60,000 Nicaraguans

Nearly 60,000 Nicaraguans have recovered their sight in 2009 thanks to the work of Cuban specialists working in Nicaragua under Miracle Mission (Misión Milagro). Dr. Mercedes Argote, director of the project in Nicaragua, expressed optimism that by the end of the year more than 60,000 Nicaraguans will have been operated on for eye problems in clinics located in Sandino City near Managua, and in Bilwi and Bluefields on the Caribbean Coast. The Cuban physicians evaluate 40-50 people a day, she said, noting that many people hope to start 2010 with their sight restored.

The majority of patients in the program, which receives support from municipal authorities and the government of President Daniel Ortega, are persons of limited resources who see in this humanitarian gesture, in many cases, a real possibility of recovering the valuable gift of sight. Many of the operations performed by the Cubans would cost over US$1,000, well beyond the means of poor Nicaraguans who need the operation. Also, a substantial number of Nicaraguans are sent to Venezuela for treatment.

This hotline is prepared from the Nicaragua News Service and other sources. To receive a more extensive weekly summary of the news from Nicaragua by e-mail or postal service, send a check for $60.00 to Nicaragua Network, 1247 E St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. We can be reached by phone at 202-544-9355. Our web site is: www.nicanet.org. To subscribe to the Hotline, send an e-mail to nicanet@afgj.org
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