Nicaragua News Service June 5-11, 1994 Vol. 2, No. 25 by Colleen Littlejohn Major news stories of the week: 1. Strong debate begins over proposal for new military law. 2. Recontras still a threat in the North. 3. CRIES closes door. 4. Torricelli ends visit. 5. Cocaine route in Masaya. 6. Native communities organize to defend patrimony. 7. FSLN to resume talks with COSEP and Government. 8. School drop-out rate increases. 9. Finance Ministry proposes further government cuts. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Strong debate begins over proposal for new military law. The Nicaraguan right has decided to organize around the rejection of the proposed military organization law, and has opened several fronts in its attempt to convince the National Assembly to reject the law. The right's campaign has been accompanied by death threats against National Assembly members who decide to support the bill. The threats were veiled in broadcasts on Radio Corporation. Several members of the National Assembly including Reynaldo Antonio Tefel, Raul Venano, Francisco Rivera and Fernando Silva have already written to Radio Corporation to advise them that they support the new bill. "In order to save these gentlemen the trouble of making lists of those members who support the law," they said. The Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) has called upon its base to "be prepared and ready to fight the great battle" against the approval of the law in the National Assembly. COSEP has called on the army to give up its businesses, claiming that the army's activities constitute unfair competition with local businesses. General Humberto Ortega called some of the opponents "terrorists", subversives and irresponsible," stating that those who are instigating the attacks against the army are against "everything that is patriotic" and that those who are opposing the law "have not even read it." Ortega made these statements as part of his speech commemorating the 15th anniversary of the beginning of the 1979 military offensive that brought down the Somoza dynasty's dictatorship. At the end of the speech he called on the army's members to maintain their unity and not to be provoked by detractors, stating, "With or without the law, this army will continue to exist." Meanwhile, the group called Coordination of Retired Officers (AMIR) came out in support of the law, but demanded that the law also cover retired military and also orphans and war disabled. They specifically referred to the Institute for Social Provisions, which would be created by the new law to take care of pensions and other benefits for army personnel. The Institute would be financed with the profits of businesses now being managed by the army. Antonio Lacayo, Minister of the Presidency, made a statement about the issue, affirming that the law to be passed by the National Assembly, "will be a good law, enriched by the ideas of the different political forces of the country." (Barricada 6-10, La Prensa, 6-8) 2. Recontras still a threat in the North. Collective transport in Esteli was totally shut down for a day last week and in the Sixth Region an armed recontra group destroyed a truck carrying lumber near the town of Matiguas. Other irregular armed forces, under the command of El Charro and Nortiel also brought transport around the area of Waslala to a halt last week. Other bands, under "Pararjllo" and "Cascabel" have been operating around the area of Yali and El Tuie. 3. CRIES closes door. The Regional Coordinator of Social and Economic Investigations (CRIES) officially ceased to exist last week. A provisional Board of Directors was named to oversee the closing process which, according to official sources, was caused by the severe economic problems that the Institute had been facing for the last several months. Xavier Gorostiaga, former director of CRIES and also Rector of the Central American University in Managua, stated that there were serious labor discipline problems in addition to excessive operational costs. Gorostiaga confirmed that he had resigned as director of CRIES due to the fact that the CRIES office in Panama had suspended financing. The closing of CRIES means the loss of a workplace for over 50 employees and puts into question the continuation of NICARAO, the electronic mail system set up by CRIES several years ago that ties into PeaceNet in the US. The "Benjamin Linder" union of CRIES workers was reportedly taken by surprise by the action of Gorostiaga. They are calling for an audit of CRIES and blame the financial problems on "the inadequate administration of funds destined to projects." The union also claims that the liquidation of CRIES has more to do with the desire of its former leadership to close down operations in Nicaragua and to reopen with new researchers in El Salvador. (Barricada 6-9) 4. Torricelli ends visit. Rumors abound in Managua about the probability that the US will soon cut off aid to Nicaragua as a result of the Helms Amendment. Those fears were flamed by the statements of Representative Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) who said that the government of President Violeta Chamorro "has had enough time to solve the property problem" in Nicaragua. Government officials do not seem too worried however. In response to Torricelli parting blows, the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry issued a comment in which they said that the ideas of Mr. Torecelli come from a personal vision, and that the suspension of aid to Nicaragua does not depend on him." The President also commented that she did not feel pressured by the Congressman's visit. 5. Cocaine route in Masaya. Barricada last week announced that the city of Masaya has been invaded by major drug dealers and pushers who have infiltrated themselves into the local police force. Supply comes from the Atlantic Coast city of Puerto Cabezas, passing through the Las Minas and the towns of Mulukuku, Matalgalpa, and Tipitapa before reaching Masaya, where the distribution to the rest of the Pacific Coast is organized. The Ministry of Government is now investigating the drug connections of eight Masaya police officials. 6. Native communities organize to defend patrimony. Conflict continues between an indigenous Nicaraguan community near Leon and the Pellas family, owners of the San Antonio sugar companies. The Pellas family has begun to clear over 100 acres of land to extend their sugar cane plantation, but the land is claimed by the Subtiava community. Police intervened, arresting several Subtiava leaders, who were released after the indigenous Nicaraguans gave up arms they had taken from police officers during their intervention. The Municipal Council of Leon has agreed to mediate the conflict. San Antonio representatives say that they legally acquired the land years ago, and that the documents of the Subtiava Indians are not legal, nor are all the claimants Indian. Representatives of different Indian communities from all over Nicaragua are coming to Leon to show their solidarity with the Subtiavans. Some local newspapers describe the situation as "explosive." Meanwhile, in the Atlantic Coast Northern Autonomous Region (RAAN), representatives of 11 Sumo communities have demanded that the government rescind the mining concessions granted to the North American company, Nycon Resources, in the lands of Waspuk-Pispis, considered traditional lands of the Sumo people. The Sumo leaders claim a total of 1,800 square kilometers, 50% of which lies within the Bosawas natural reserve. The Sumos are in the process of trying to legalize their patrimony. They claim that the concession granted to Nycon is within their agricultural territory and that a mining presence would poison their rivers, citing the poisoning of the Bamana River, contaminated by cyanide from the mines of Bonanza and Rosita. (Barricada 6-9, 6-10) 7. FSLN to resume talks with COSEP and Government. The FSLN will renew conversations with the government and COSEP, the Nicaragua's big business organization. The FSLN had issued formal invitations to Antonio Lacayo, Minister of the Presidency, and Ramiro Gurdian, president of COSEP, in a letter sent last week. Some of the topics to be discussed are the IMF agreements with Nicaragua and the new military law which will soon be debated in the National Assembly. (Barricada 6-9) 8. School drop-out rate increases. According to a report last week in Barricada, 180,000 children between the ages of seven and twelve years are not going to school, and of each 100 children that begin first grade, only 23 will go on to complete the sixth grade. 70% of all children that start primary school either repeat grades or quit altogether. According to other statistics from UNICEF, there is also a 36% dropout rate in high schools. One mother interviewed was quoted as saying, "I have a choice of two things. Give my children something to eat and not their education or their education, and nothing to eat. The only way we can survive is that we eat a little bit and we don't learn anything." (Barricada, 6-9) 9. Finance Ministry proposes further government cuts. The government is again studying ways to cut the public sector in an attempt to reduce the operating costs of the state. Last week, the Ministry of Finance presented a proposal to the economic cabinet which suggests the fusion of several different ministries and an important reduction in the total number of state employees, to eventually reach the 15,000 personnel reduction agreed upon with the IMF. One of the possible changes is that the Ministry of Social Action would absorb what is left of the Ministry of Social Welfare (INSBBI), leaving that Ministry to administer Social Security only, as in the times of Somoza. (Barricada, 6-6)