Liebe Nicaragua Interessierte,
hier weiter unten findet Ihr eine Initiative von Soli-Leuten aus Schottland, die diese Initiative als Autoconvocados aus den USA übernommen haben, da dort viele der ehemaligen Strukturen weiterhin zu Ortega stehen. Frist zum Unterschreiben ist der 2.7., Unterschriften gerne auch mit Pseudonym oder Anonym , was ja im Moment sehr angebracht erscheint. Es geht um eine Veröffentlichung in der Presse, in alternativen Medien.
Ich persönlich freue mich, daß eine solche Initiative jetzt auf europäischer Ebene zustande kommt, da es in 2018 ja nur Aufrufe in Deutschland und Spanien gegeben hat, soweit ich das in Erinnerung habe. Alle Gruppen können dann die Erklärung in ihren jeweiligen Medien verbreiten. In den USA gibt es bislang 250 Unterschriften.
Gerne teilen
Barbara
This is for folks who lived, worked and visited Nicaragua in the 1980s to sign an Open Letter to the Nicaraguan government from European solidarity workers below (and attached as a PDF). It is very easy to sign on, as you’ll see below and in the PDF. It is based on a similar initiative by US citizens who lived, worked and visited Nicaragua in the 1980s.
The objective of this letter – directed to the Ortega-Murillo government – is to add to the cumulative pressure of international opinion (academics, health professionals, etc.) on the government to halt the repression.
Whatever credibility and moral authority we have comes from being solidarity activists who supported the revolution and opposed U.S. intervention. We now also oppose the repressive actions and crimes against humanity of the Ortega government and all its attacks on popular organizations, journalists, and democratic rights in general.
We have set a deadline of Friday, July 2nd, to receive signatures. To reach the Nicaraguan government, and to raise up the spirits of the Nicaraguans, we will distribute the letter to independent Nicaraguan media outlets and organizations, and will look to publicize it in European media platforms as well.
We understand that for some, signing this open letter has some potential risks for ongoing projects and colleagues in Nicaragua. We encourage you to think them through.
Please share with others you know who lived, worked and visited Nicaragua in the 1980s and whom you know will sign.
Gracias y abrazos
Paddy XX
Open Letter to the Nicaraguan government
from European solidarity workers (1979-1990)
June 2021
Click here to fill in signature page
We, the undersigned, are progressive activists who have been part of the European solidarity movements that supported the Sandinista revolution starting in the 1970s. Many of us lived and worked in Nicaragua or visited as members of international solidarity delegations and work brigades between 1979 and 1990.
We believed then, and we continue to believe now, that human rights abuses committed by authoritarian governments, like the Ortega-Murillo regime, must be condemned and the perpetrators of crimes against humanity brought to justice.
We went to Nicaragua to support the heroic and noble efforts of the Nicaraguan people who, having ousted the Somoza dictatorship, were rebuilding their country into one of justice, equality and democracy. We witnessed firsthand the U.S. government’s illegal and immoral actions and sponsorship of human rights abuses that caused the deaths of thousands of Nicaraguans and untold suffering to thousands more. We lobbied our own governments, Churches, unions and aid agencies to support the Nicaraguan people’s right to self-determination.
Over the last decade and a half, we have been increasingly disheartened to see how Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have consolidated an autocratic family dynasty bent on staying in power above all else. We have been appalled by the targeting of women’s organizations, independent journalists, human rights defenders and environmentalists, and indigenous communities opposing construction of the proposed canal. Controlling all branches of government, we have seen how the regime has totally politicized public institutions and undermined the rule of law.
In 2018, we watched the massive “autoconvocado” social protests that erupted. We saw hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans take to the streets. in a massive demonstration of self-determination, of Nicaraguans thinking for themselves and taking action on their own behalf.
We were shocked and horrified by the Ortega-Murillo regime’s deadly response to those protests, and to the ever-escalating political repression of civil society and violation of the Nicaraguan people’s basic human and constitutional rights.
And now, during these last few weeks, we are outraged by the latest maneuvers to shut down all dissent. We are outraged that political parties across the spectrum have been blocked from participating in the elections scheduled November 2021, and by the arrest and detention of five prominent potential opposition candidates, even if we do not agree with their political positions. We are outraged by the arrest and detention of civil society and opposition activists and leaders, including historic revolutionaries Dora María Téllez, Hugo Torres and Victor Hugo Tinoco, and by the extension of habeas corpus from 48hrs to 90 days.
The Ortega-Murillo government in no way represents the values, principles and goals of the Sandinista revolution we once admired, and it betrays the memory of tens of thousands of Nicaraguans who died for a democratic Nicaragua where its people freely and fairly choose who should lead them.
For these reasons, and as anti-intervention, progressive solidarity activists, committed to the principle of human, political, civic and cultural rights for everyone no matter who they are, we call on the Ortega-Murillo regime to:
- Release the more than 130 political prisoners currently being held, including the pre-candidates, members of the opposition, and historic leaders of the Sandinista revolution;
- Stop the constant police and parapolice harassment and repression of opposition leaders and activists, independent journalists, human rights defenders and religious leaders;
- Rescind and make null and void the draconian national security law under which these individuals were arrested, and other repressive laws recently passed; and
- Negotiate electoral reforms that will ensure free and fair elections that allow the currently detained pre-candidates to run, and that are internationally observed.
Signed: Please clickhere to fill out the signature page.
