Nicaragua News Service August 21-27, 1994 Vol. 2, No. 36 by Colleen Littlejohn Major news stories for the week: 1. Transport strike about to be resolved. 2. Legendary Nicaraguan teacher passes on. 3. Commemoration of 15th anniversary of National Literacy Campaign. 4. FROC sympathizer accused of bombings. 5. Sandinista Assembly forms negotiating committee. 6. Military code finally approved. 7. Alexis Arguello back to the ring. 8. EPS in anti-kidnaping campaign. 9. Energy rationing may end in September. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Transport strike still on. Although last week local papers had reported that the announced transport strike would not start until after a negotiating session with the government last Wednesday, the National Transportation Council decided to begin the strike last Monday, in order to pressure the government to negotiate more seriously. After a marathon 29 hour session which ended last Friday afternoon, both sides decided to rest up and return to the negotiating table on the following Saturday morning (Aug. 27). According to Andres Espinoza, a member of the negotiating team for transport workers, the negotiating process has had its ups and downs. That has certainly been evident from the information available to the general public. As of Saturday, August 27th, the strike was about to be settled but talks were suspended as the transport workers sat down to discuss their positions vis a vis the government. The unity of the different transport organizations has been a key factor in the success of the strike, from their viewpoint. During the last two national strikes, the transport sector had been divided into two and each group negotiated separately with the government. The strike has been implemented with very little violence, although seven members of the transport workers union were held for allegedly throwing stones at scab taxi drivers. The government has proposed to implement a temporary subsidy of one cordoba per gallon on gasoline and diesel for transport workers, excluding taxis and trucks used for local cargo transport. In addition, the government offered to raise bus prices to 85 cents (Nicaraguan money). The transport negotiators have rejected that offer, stating that it is a "Band-Aid" that doesn't offer permanent solution to the problem. (Barricada, 8/24, 8/25, 8/26, 8/27) 2. Legendary Nicaraguan teacher passes on. Last week, Nicaragua lost one of its most illustrious names in the field of education, Professor Edelberto Torres. Torres was also, one of the world's experts on the life and works of Nicaraguan poet, Ruben Dario, one of the most famous poets in the Spanish language. Torres is considered one of the founders of Nicaragua's "national identity" because of his studies of Dario and Augusto C. Sandino. Torres dedicated all his life to the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship and was an advisor to Carlos Fonseca and those who joined with him in the early days of the FSLN. Torres died in Costa Rica at the age of 90. In 1981, he was awarded the Carlos Fonseca award, the highest honor given by the FSLN. The Nigaraguan government, in that same year, awarded him two of their highest honors, the Order of the State of Sandino and Ruben Dario. 3. Commemoration of 15th anniversary of National Literacy Campaign. The Batahola Sur neighborhood was the setting of a cultural celebration which commemorated the 15th anniversary of the National Literacy Crusade. Over 150,000 volunteers spread themselves all over the country in a successful attempt to decrease an illiteracy rate which in 1979 was approximately 60%. As a result of the Crusade, the illiteracy rate dropped to 12.9%, which gave Nicaragua the honor of receiving an international award from UNESCO. The Ministry of Education did not attend the celebrations. One of the principal speakers at the event was Orlando Pineda Flores, coordinator of the Association of Popular Literacy Workers "Carlos Fonseca Armador." Pineda stated that the present government has abandoned programs established by the previous government and has also laid off over 2,500 of the literacy workers. As a result of this abandonment, the illiteracy rate has now reached a level of approximately 37%, according to Pineda. The government recognizes an official illiteracy rate of 28%. The Carlos Fonseca Association is a non-government organization that is presently giving literacy training to 3,000 people. According to the organization, the government has virtually abandoned adult education programs because the "neoliberal system requires that the majority of the work force be ignorant so as to be cheap." (Barricada 8/23) 4. FROC sympathizer accused of bombings. The brother-in-law of "Honduran Pete," otherwise known as ex-army major Victor Manual Gallegos, is being held for questioning regarding the two most recent car bombings in El Crucero and the National Baseball Stadium. The Nigaraguan police stated that Gallegos would soon be called to testify. Gallegos's sister declared that her brother and husband are innocent and that her husband never belonged to the FROC. In an interview in Barricada last Saturday, Gallegos declared that he had no knowledge of the activities of his brother-in-law with regard to the bombings. 5. Sandinista Assembly forms negotiating committee. The Sandinista Assembly, the maximum authority of the FSLN, has decided to form a negotiating committee "to discuss such topics as the Constitutional Reform package and property laws, with the government, political parties, and other organizations." The members of the commission are Daniel Ortega, Bayardo Arce, Sergio Ramirez, and Francisco Rivera. The commission will be the official permanent negotiating commission for the FSLN. (Barricada 8/23) 6. Military code finally approved The final version of the new military code was finally approved last week by the National Assembly, despite the fact that the 21 delegates of UNO refused to participate in the discussions. The president of the National Assembly, Luis Humberto Guzman, stated that he was satisfied with the law considering that "this was the last chance to pass it, before the country gets turned upside down by the coming electoral process." Dora Maria Tellez, speaking for the Sandinista representation of the National Assembly, stated that her colleagues were satisfied with the law because it contributes to the institutionality of the country. "The important thing is that the law that was passed has the consensus not only of the Assembly, but also of the Presidency and the army itself. The law limits the time in office of the head of the army, subordinates military to civilian authority, and creates a type of social security for the military...It is important that the Nicaraguan society, the government, and the army are clear of what type of military we want." (Barricada 8/24) 7. Alexis Arguello back to the ring. Lights were not cut last Saturday night in Managua so that those interested could watch Nicaragua's Alexis Arguello, former three time boxing champion of the world, make his comeback in Miami against a relatively unknown Mexican fighter, Palomares. Alexis, who broke two of his left fingers in the second round, won the 10 round bout, but left doubts about the possibility that, at age 42, he could again achieve the world championship. Alexis' goal is to make some money and stabilize himself financially by buying a ranch in Las Vegas, Nevada. After the change in government in 1990, Arguello tried to establish himself again in Nicaragua but failed. He left the country previously when the Sandinista government confiscated one of his homes which had been given to him by Somoza. 8. EPS in anti-kidnapping campaign Over 20 ranchers have been kidnapped over the last two months in the Fifth Region, which includes the departments of Boaco and Chontales. The kidnappings are not politically motivated, the outlaws prey upon whatever family they deem to have money to pay the ransoms demanded, whether the families are Sandinista or otherwise. To combat this plague, over 400 combined troops of the army and national police have begun a special operation in the region to try to bring an end to the rash of crimes. (Barricada 8/26) 9. Energy rationing may end in September Energy rationing may be reduced in September to two hours daily instead of the four hours presently enforced, according to sources in Nicaragua Energy Institute (INE). The INE reports that Lake Apanas, located outside Jinotega has recovered over 20 centimeters (8 inches) during the month of August. The amount of rain that has fallen in the area has contributed to the fact that the hydroelectric plant that depends on the Apanas lake has been only generating up to 30% of its capacity so that the water levels can recover and INE will be able to avoid even more severe rationing during the upcoming dry season which begins in November. It is hoped that the water level will continue to improve in the months of September and October which historically are the months of most rain on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. (La Prensa 8/23)