Truthout.com (Marjorie Cohn): Nicaragua Takes Germany to the World Court for Facilitating Israel’s GenocideNicaragua charged that, “Germany has provided political, financial and military support to Israel fully aware at the time of authorization that the military equipment would be used in the commission of great breaches of international law,” adding, “The military equipment provided by Germany enabling Israel to perpetrate genocidal acts and other atrocities, included supplies to the front line and warehouses, and assurances of future supplies such as ammunition, technology and diverse components necessary for the Israeli military.”
Interview with Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah after he was detained entering GermanyGhassan Abu Sittah, a British-Palestinian doctor who has become known for his work in Gaza, detailed how he was detained at an airport for three and a half hours in Germany and denied entry. Abu Sittah wanted to attend a conference where he would present evidence on the war in Gaza and his witness statement as a doctor working in its hospitals. Germany told him even if he tried to speak from outside Germany to the conference through zoom, he would be subject to a fine and even face a prison sentence.
April 17, 6.30-8pm (Britain): Join our UK – Nicaragua solidarity forum. Send a message to campaigns@nicaraguasc.org.uk if you would like to participate.
Webinar – Sunday, April 21, 3pm ET: “Recent Elections on Nicaragua’s Autonomous Caribbean Coast.” Register: bit.ly/NicaApril21. What does “autonomy” mean for people living in the Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua? How and why did these two regions (North and South) hold their own elections on March 3 of this year? Who ran for election, from which parties, for what offices? Our webinar speaker, Johnny Hodgson, will address these questions and more during a 60-minute webinar. He is a Representative to Nicaragua’s National Assembly, and political secretary of the Sandinista Front (FSLN), from the South Caribbean Autonomous Region.
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: May 13), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
Firsthand observations of human rights in Nicaragua, review submitted by Friends of Latin America:Friends of Latin America (FoLA), guided by Scott Hagaman, has just submitted a review to the UN, in follow-up to Nicaragua’s report on its own efforts to strengthen and protect human rights in the country. A number of Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition participants joined FoLA and contributed firsthand in-country testimonies to this review, covering many areas like these examples: victory for peace after failed coup d’etat, right to health and social security, right to education, women’s rights, and right to vote and to run for election. Please take a few minutes to read this positive review of human rights in Nicaragua.
Please sign a letter from Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), protesting a recent UN report by the mis-named Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN). Collection of signatures is continuing until thedeadline Wednesday, April 17, in an effort to show massive resistance to the UN report. An earlier letter was sent on March 31 by Alfred de Zayas and other human rights experts, as well as other original signers. But we are now continuing that effort, adding many names.
Date change for the next Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition meeting: The next monthly meeting has been moved to April 15, one week later than the usual second Tuesday of the month. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com for more information.
Article: Germany next up to face Gaza genocide charges in The Hague. This is an interesting and detailed article on the case at the Hague which will be heard on April 8. “On April 8 and 9, the International Court of Justice will once again hold hearings on the Israeli genocide in Gaza. This time the judges in The Hague will be listening to arguments in the case brought by Nicaragua against Germany. The Central American nation accuses Berlin of violating its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention and other ‘intransgressible principles of international humanitarian law,’ including the Fourth Geneva Convention….”
Johnny Hodgson to speak at the next Nicaragua Webinar on April 21. Register: bit.ly/NicaApril21 . The April 21 webinar will focus on the recent elections in the Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions on Nicaragua. Our speaker, Johnny Hodgson, is the ideal person to address this topic, given his life history which is summarized below.
He was born in Bluefields, and in 1984, after university and postgraduate study, he became “provisional mayor” of Bluefields and then was chosen as Coordinator of the Regional Autonomy Commission by the FSLN volunteers of that movement. He coordinated this mission until they achieved the approval of the Autonomy Statute in the National Assembly in 1987.
During Hurricane Joan of 1988 he was in charge of 3190 people in shelters. Although he had to move all the people in the middle of the hurricane, not a single person died. In 1990 he was elected for four years as member of the First Autonomous Regional Council. When universities were founded on the Caribbean Coast, he taught history, natural resources and autonomy of the Caribbean to teach the students where they come from, what they have and what they can do.
In 1996, he was chosen to preside over the Supreme Electoral Council in his region where he directed the process for the election of the President of the Republic, national assembly deputies, deputies to PARLACEN, mayors and municipal councilors. Then he worked for ActionAid until 2006.
In 2008 he was appointed Political Secretary of the FSLN in the Southern Autonomous Region and Delegate to the Presidency, a position he still holds today. He is recognized as one of the Fathers of Autonomy of the Caribbean Coast, for having led the movement for the restitution of the rights of indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants.
· provides universal and free health care throughout the country, with 24 new hospitals, 182 maternity wait homes, over 3,000 health centers, and dramatic decreases in maternal and child mortality?
had the lowest rate of excess deaths in Latin America during the pandemic?
has universal and free education from preschool through trade school, university, and professional school?
is a pioneer in defending the rights of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples, who have communal title to a third of the national territory?
is a world leader in gender equality, ranking first for women in parliament, women’s educational achievement, and women in cabinet positions?
Webinar – Sunday, April 21, 3pm ET: “Recent Elections on Nicaragua’s Autonomous Caribbean Coast.” Register: bit.ly/NicaApril21. What does “autonomy” mean for people living in the Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua? How and why did these two regions (North and South) hold their own elections on March 3 of this year? Who ran for election, from which parties, for what offices? Our webinar speaker, Johnny Hodgson, will address these questions and more during a 60-minute webinar. He is a Representative to Nicaragua’s National Assembly, and political secretary of the Sandinista Front (FSLN), from the South Caribbean Autonomous Region.
Please sign our letter protesting a recent UN report by the mis-named Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN). In a few days, we will forward our letter to the UN Human Rights Council, following a similar missive being sent this week by authentic human rights experts including former UN Independent Expert on International Order, Alfred de Zayas. [See coverage further below of another statement to the UN by de Zayas, denouncing “sanctions.”]
An excerpt from our letter follows:
This is the second report by the GHREN. The first, published in March 2023, was condemned in a letter signed by many prominent human rights experts and by 119 organizations and 573 individuals.[2] This letter was totally ignored.
The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition submitted detailed evidence to the GHREN on the errors and omissions in their first report. These submissions received no response, nor are they acknowledged in the new report. Clearly, the GHREN takes into account only evidence that is supplied by opponents of Nicaragua’s government. This renders absurd the study group’s claim to exercise “independence, impartiality, objectivity, transparency, integrity.”
Second Action Alert: Letter to UN, 1,000 Signatures Sought; Protest Assassination Plots Against President Maduro, Defend Venezuela’s Sovereigntybit.ly/defend-vzla-sign-on
“…. these assassination plots are taking place in a country that is subject to over 900 unilateral coercive measures. These measures threaten Venezuela’s right to development and contradict the principles of sovereignty affirmed in the Charter of the United Nations….”
New Charge d’Affaires at Nicaraguan Embassy in the US Will Speak at UNAC Conference: We wish Ambassador Francisco Campbell well in his retirement, and we welcome M. Lautaro Sandino Montes as the new Charge d’Affaires at the embassy in Washington, DC. Lautaro Sandino brings an impressive forty years of experience to his new assignment. His more recent positions have included Ambassador to Ethiopia (2023); law professor at the National University of Nicaragua (2020-2022); Ambassador to Belgium (2009-2020); and project and planning director at the Augusto C. Sandino Foundation (FACS) ((2000-2007). His native language is Spanish, and his English is advanced level; he also speaks basic French.
He is already heavily engaged in his new work. He will give a morning keynote speech on April 6 at the conference of The United National AntiWar Coalition (UNAC). [See conference schedule here.] His presentation will cover the accomplishments of the revolution, the new world order, and Nicaragua’s role in international law. That afternoon he is a panelist at a conversational workshop on sanctions; other panelists are William Camacaro, David Paul, Sara Flounders, and Allison Bodine. In the evening, a reception for international solidarity will feature Lautaro Sandino and also the ambassador from the Polisario Front.
Impressive Status of Women in Nicaragua: Message From Nicaraguan Government to the 68th Session Of The Commission Of The Status Of Women (CSW): March 11-22, 2024, New York. This statement contains some remarkable information. Here is a sample: “In 2023, the World Economic Forum ranked Nicaragua as the first country in Latin America with the highest gender equality and as the number 7 worldwide, while on the UN Women Political Map we are ranked fourth in countries with women in Ministerial positions and in the Third Place with the most women in the National Assembly. In the National Assembly, out of 91 Deputies, 50 are Women and in the Central American Parliament, out of 20 Deputies, 10 are Women. In Local Governments, out of 153 Municipal Mayorships, 82 are female Mayors.”
Video recording from March 24 webinar, “Brave Women, Strong Women: Power & Protagonism in Nicaragua.” This is an interesting and inspiring report-back from January delegation members who explored Nicaraguan women’s roles and experiences as active protagonists in their society Speakers are Adrienne Ayers, Krista Chan, Virginia Pratt, and delegation leader Becca Renk. Links to their slideshows:
Human Rights Expert Denounces “Sanctions” at UN: On March 25, the former UN Independent Expert on International Order, Alfred de Zayas, made a presentation to the UN Security Council about unilateral coercive measures (UCMs), often called “sanctions.” He denounced UCMs and urged, “Let us …stop referring to UCMs as ‘sanctions’. The only legal sanctions are those imposed by this Security Council. Everything else constitutes the unlawful use of force in contravention of the letter and spirit of the UN Charter…. Moreover, the word ‘sanctions’ implies that the State imposing them has the moral or legal authority to do so. This is not the case….”
De Zayas then proposed seven action steps “to rescue the international order and … give recourse and remedy to the victims.” His entire statement is well worth reading, but here is a summary of the seven proposals:
1. Charge international welfare organizations to asses and publicize impacts of sanctions
2. Establish a sanctions watch international observatory
3. Address victim compensation and crimes against humanity through the UN General Assembly/World Court.
4. Invoke the genocide convention.
5. Treat under inter-state complaints procedures.
6. Apply duty of rescue laws.
7. Extend state diplomatic protection to victims of sanctions.
Webinar – Sunday, April 21, 3pm ET: Mark your calendars! A government representative from Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast will speak about the recent elections in the Caribbean Coast autonomous regions. More information is coming soon.
Our monthly zoom meetings: Date change for April only: Monday, April 15, 2:30 PM ET. Usually held the second Monday. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
More Sanctions on Nicaragua Will Deepen US Migration Crisis: Interview with Barbara Larcom and Jill Clark-Gollub Increased US economic warfare against Nicaragua will only translate into a worsening of the migration problem in the US and affect supply chains in Central American and Caribbean countries that trade with Nicaragua. Barbara and Jill explained that the threat of new illegal US sanctions motivated them to launch a campaign to put pressure on US Congresspersons to oppose this strategy. They are inviting all concerned US citizens to join the campaign with their Congresspersons to prevent new illegal sanctions that will deepen the already complex US migration issues and affect the food supply that many Central American and Caribbean countries count on from Nicaragua.
On the current political and economic developments in Nicaragua, the activists explained that Sandinismo has promoted people’s participation in every aspect of social life, improving people’s lives in human rights, healthcare, and gender equality, among others, and leading to an increase in infrastructure projects for citizens. They explained that the smear campaign launched against Nicaragua has drawn people into a defensive position. accusations. The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition strives to rectify that by pointing to the vast number of achievements that the Sandinista Revolution can claim, from fighting poverty to reducing child mortality and malnutrition.
Women’s Liberation in Nicaragua today: Interview with Jessica Leyva, Minister of Women, and Jahosca Mendez, Attorney for the Defense of Human RightsJessica Leyva and Jahosca Mendez discuss the progress women have made during the second phase of the Sandinista Revolution in advancing their rights and their stature in society. Today women are half of all representatives in the different governing bodies, so that their priorities are well-known and acted upon. A centerpiece of these has been economic independence and an autonomous life, and programs to protect women from abuses. They point out that women are the backbone of the family, and thereby become the backbone of society, of building a new society.
Nicaragua shows Solidarity with Zimbabwe over US AggressionNicaragua “strongly condemns the continuity of the aggressive, interfering and interventionist policy of the United States of North America against the Worthy Peoples of the World, and in particular, against the Republic of Zimbabwe. We continue to witness the ideology of imperialist and neocolonialist domination of the West by attempting to subjugate and intimidate with unipolar, racist and exclusive practices, the development of our Peoples and their efforts in the fight against poverty.”
March 24 webinar: Power and Protagonism: Women in NicaraguaPlease join us for a 90-minute report-back from a January 2024 delegation to Nicaragua that explored Nicaraguan women’s roles and experiences as active protagonists in their society. Speakers include Adrienne Ayers, Krista Chan, and Virginia Pratt, along with delegation leader Becca Renk. Register: https://bit.ly/NicaMar24 The webinar will be in English only, with a translated captions option.
April 21 Webinar: Hear about the March 3 elections on the Caribbean Coast (the results, as well as an explanation of what these elections are and their importance). There will be a Nicaraguan government representative speaking in English.75 minutes. The webinar will be in English only, with a translated captions option.
May 19 Webinar: This is a second webinar on the Caribbean Coast. It will be a report back from the April delegation that is going to the Caribbean Coast facilitated by Becca Renk and Jill Clark-Gollub. This will be in English only, with a translated captions option
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: April 9), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
Sign on in support of statement here. “The report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN), released by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on February 28, 2024, is totally biased and should never have been published. The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition submitted detailed evidence to the GHREN on the errors and omissions in their first report. These submissions received no response, nor are they acknowledged in the new report. Clearly, the GHREN takes into account only evidence that is supplied by opponents of Nicaragua’s government… the report is an attempt to use a multilateral human rights body to lend legitimacy to a regime change campaign and to justify further sanctions, which already violate Nicaraguans’ socioeconomic rights and frustrate the achievement of UN development goals.”
Nicaragua responds to the latest UN Human Rights Council “report” “In our statements, we have affirmed that we do not accept the manipulation of these forums to show off reports that are supposedly prepared with objectivity or reasonableness, justifying these, with an evident zero concern for our state; when in reality, they seek to continue manipulating these, with the sole purpose of intervening in the internal affairs of our country….May this intervention serve to DENOUNCE again, as we have already done, the lack of integrity and morality of these mechanisms; that rather they should promote the practice of respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence between nations, guaranteeing the sovereign right of peoples, so that with dignity and independence, they can continue to build their own destiny, in the search for social peace, as well as economic, cultural and social development, which guarantees the common good and the real human rights that Nicaraguan families deserve.”
Nicaragua rejects spurious report of so-called “Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua” “…the inputs they take for their reports are from criteria manipulated by a group of people, who are financed, precisely to distort the reality of our country. These groups have a defined agenda framed in guidelines imposed by imperial powers, whose sole purpose is to distort the advances that the Nicaraguan people have achieved in terms of Human Rights…. we will not accept these self-proclaimed Human Rights experts, so they can use their unilateral and biased reports to issue unrealistic and irrational criteria about the reality of the Nicaraguan people, who are proud of so many achievements and advances in the field of Human Rights, such as, for example, the right to education, health, housing, fight against extreme poverty, legal, citizen and food security, protection of children, women, people with disabilities, the elderly; in short, of the sectors of the population in vulnerable situations.”
In International Court of Justice Nicaragua indicts Germany for complicity in the genocide of Palestinians “…With all the public news reports and videos of the atrocities available as they occurred, along with the declarations of international officials and with the Order of the Court of 26 January 2024; Germany cannot deny knowledge of the serious illegality of the conduct of Israel, nor can it deny that its knowledge triggered obligations for Germany under international law to prevent genocide, to not aid and assist or be complicit in genocide, and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and other peremptory norms of international law, such as not rendering aid or assistance and to prevent the illegal regime of apartheid and the negation of the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people.
“Germany has provided political, financial, and military support to Israel with the knowledge at the time of authorization that the military equipment would be used in the commission of serious breaches of international law. The German Government has also cut off assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is the primary agency in charge of delivering aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories…. Germany continues to disregard its obligations, and to actively facilitate violations of the rules of international law by Israel to the severe and immediate prejudice of the Palestinian people, particularly Gazans, and the international community.” Full document indicting Germany for complicity in genocide.
Webinar video “The Evolution of Education in Nicaragua” EnglishSpanish Speakers: Juan Salvador Mendez, member of the Directors’ Council of the Ministry of Education; and Maria Esmeralda Aguilar, Deputy Director for Vocational Training, National Technological Institute (INATEC). Here are links to the slideshow presentations by the speakers, Juan Mendez and Maria Esmeralda Aguilar:English – Juan Mendez; English – Maria Esmeralda Aguilar; Español – Juan Mendez; Español – Maria Esmeralda Aguilar
Events and Delegations:
Webinar – Sunday, March 24, 3pm ET: Power and Protagonism: Women in NicaraguaThis will be a report-back from January delegation members who explored this topic in depth. Speakers are Adrienne Ayers, Krista Chan, and Virginia Pratt, along with delegation leader Becca Renk.
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: March 11), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
President Ortega Paid Tribute to General Sandino“For General Sandino, the father of the Nicaraguan revolution and anti-imperialist struggle… the people never surrender or sell themselves. Born on May 18, 1895, Sandino became the leader of the Nicaraguan resistance against the American occupation army. In 1912, during his youth, he witnessed the first intervention of American troops in Nicaragua. In 1927, Sandino began the fight against the U.S.-backed government and formed the “Army in Defense of the National Sovereignty of Nicaragua.” In 1928, the ranks of the Sandino’s army were fed by members of the Anti-Imperialist League of the Americas, among whom would be Farabundo Marti, the Salvadoran revolutionary who became a colonel in the guerrilla army. Faced with the impossibility of defeating Sandino, US President Hoover ordered the withdrawal of US troops, which allowed Sandino to begin negotiations with the Nicaraguan government for the return to civilian life in 1933. On February 21, 1934, during a dinner at the Presidential Palace, generals Sandino, Francisco Estrada and Juan Umanzor were arrested, and murdered by soldiers under orders from Somoza.
Daniel Ortega speech on the 90th anniversary of the killing of Sandino“This Manifesto of our General Sandino is still valid, because the Struggle continues, the battle continues, the imperialists of the earth have not disappeared, rather they are committing horrendous crimes, like those they are committing against the Palestinian people, day by day, in the sight and patience of the countries that call themselves civilized, the European countries, accomplices of these crimes, and they launch aggression against all peoples, against the Nicaraguan people. They launch aggression against all the peoples of the world, but the peoples resist, the peoples do not surrender, the peoples do not sell out, ever!”
Venezuelan President Maduro Letter to Daniel and Rosario on Sandino’s Anniversary“I want to extend to the Nicaraguan government and people the Venezuelan people’s committed embrace on the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the passing into immortality of Augusto Cesar Sandino, the general of free men and women. The life and work of General Sandino encapsulate the nobility and strength that define the soul of the Nicaraguan people. The relevance of General Sandino’s anti-imperialist thought is unquestionable: neither the imperialism’s crime nor the oligarchy’s betrayal could erase the historical significance of Gen. Sandino’s figure, which stands as a beacon and guide for those who struggle for the defense of the peoples’ independence and self-determination….”
Webinar – Sunday, March 24, 3pm ET: “Power and Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua” This will be a report-back from January delegation members who explored this topic in depth. Mark your calendars, Zoom registration link is coming soon.
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: March 11), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
NICARAGUA WEBINARS presents“The Evolution of Education in Nicaragua”
The International Coalition to Stop Genocide in Palestine (ICSGP) commends Nicaragua: The ICSGP commends Nicaragua for being the first nation to take formal steps to intervene on behalf of the South African ICJ case; and furthermore, for taking the bold step of putting countries that are complicit under the Genocide Convention on notice that they will be subject to legal action if they fail to desist. The ICSGP also urges social movements to continue to use the tactics of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions by pressuring governments and corporations that are sending money and/or weapons to Israel to immediately cease those genocidal activities.
Upcoming WebinarSunday, February 25, 3pm ET: “The Evolution of Education in Nicaragua” Spanish & English Interpretation provided. Speakers: Juan Salvador Mendez, member of the Directors’ Council of the Ministry of Education; Maria Esmeralda Aguilar Gutiérrez, Deputy Director for Vocational Training, National Technological Institute (INATEC); (Invited) Member of the National Council of Universities (CNJ). Register: bit.ly/NicaFeb25.
Ben Linder Solidarity School 2023 Nicaragua Educational Program –full nine part webinar video program
Webinar – Sunday, March 24, 3pm ET: “Power and Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua” This will be a report-back from January delegation members who explored this topic in depth. Mark your calendars, Zoom registration link is coming soon.
Sign up to receive the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition weekly newsletter; email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: March 11), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
Orinoco Tribune: Nicaragua Formally Applies to Join ICJ Genocide Case Against ‘Israel’ The government of Nicaragua has filed a formal application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to join South Africa in its genocide case against “Israel.” The ICJ announced in a press release on Thursday, February 8, that Nicaragua referred to Article 62 of the Statute of the Court to file in the Registry of the Court an application for permission to “intervene as a party in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).” In its filing, Nicaragua stated that it considers the conduct of Israel is in “violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention” as it carries on its genocidal attack against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In addition, Nicaragua asked the ICJ to declare that Israel “must perform the obligations of reparation in the interest of Palestinian victims, including but not limited to allowing the safe and dignified return of forcibly displaced and/or abducted Palestinians to their homes, respect for their full human rights and protection against further discrimination, persecution, and other related acts, and provide for the reconstruction of what it has destroyed in Gaza,” and “offer assurances and guarantees of non-repetition of violations of the Genocide Convention.”
World Beyond War Thanks Nicaragua for Standing Against Genocideon behalf of all the caring people of the world, we want to thank the government of Nicaragua for being the first to formally request to intervene at the International Court of Justice in the case brought by South Africa, and in support of holding the government of Israel to account for its violations of the Genocide Convention in Gaza. Since South Africa filed its case, and since the court ruled that Israel needed to cease its genocidal actions while the case proceeds, the government of Israel has only escalated its crimes, while openly defying the court — even while relying on weapons, legal immunity, and propaganda support from the U.S. and other Western governments frequently claiming to support a so-called rules-based order.
We citizens of the world who support the actual rule of law appreciate the risks you take in supporting it. All governments commit crimes, making them reluctant to support the prosecution of governmental crimes. All governments are subject to pressure from the U.S. government and its allies, making them reluctant to support this prosecution. But many know what is right. And many may act now that you have gone first. Thank you. We will remember.
RootsAction.org: Time to End the Monroe Doctrine Form to send an email to your Congressperson. U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez has introduced a resolution, along with Congressmembers Casar, Ramirez, Garcia, and Ocasio-Cortez. H. RES. 943 calls for the annulment of the Monroe Doctrine and the development of a “New Good Neighbor” policy in order to foster improved relations and deeper, more effective cooperation between the United States and our Latin American and Caribbean neighbors.
John Perry: The “Human Rights Industry” and NicaraguaThe Human Rights Industry by Alfred de Zayas, brings together the insights of de Zayas and other experts into the ways in which “human rights” have been distorted to serve the interests of Western governments, principally those of the US. Plus, it is written by someone who brings 50 years of experience in the human rights field.
The base of the “human rights industry” consists of small, local organizations which may in some cases do excellent work. However, he qualifies this: “There are few fields that are as penetrated and corrupted by intelligence services as the human rights NGOs.” De Zayas estimates perhaps 30% are so penetrated. NED’s website shows that, between 2016 and 2020, it spent almost $1.2 million in funding “human rights” bodies in Nicaragua, in addition to funding many other activities. In 2018, Nicaragua had three main “human rights” NGOs, known for their initials in Spanish as the CPDH, ANPDH and CENIDH, as well as several smaller organizations, most receiving foreign funding. Both CPDH and ANPDH were financed by the NED. CPDH also received more than $7 million from an offshoot of the Organization of American States (OAS). CENIDH is not known to have received NED funding but in the build-up to the coup attempt was awarded a staggering $23 million by various European institutions, some with government connections.
These human rights groups often spread the propaganda that the Nicaraguan police in 2018 were the ones doing the killing. According to ANPDH, the figure reached 561. De Zayas concludes that “foreign-funded NGOs built up a completely distorted picture…in which all violence was blamed on the government.” All three “human rights” bodies were closed down for their blatant propaganda activities by the government after 2018. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (associated with the OAS), and UN Human Rights agencies have also been weaponized to attack Nicaragua. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are closely tied to the US government. The Open Society Foundation has just contracted a prominent opponent of the Sandinista government to administer a $25 million fund to promote women’s political leadership. Washington’s regime-change plans failed in 2018, but it has not given up.
Events & Actions:
Sunday, February 25, 3pm ET: Preliminary title “The Evolution of Education in Nicaragua” Spanish & English Interpretation provided. Confirmed speaker: Juan Salvador Mendez, member of the Directors’ Council of the Ministry of Education. Invited speakers (awaiting confirmation) from National Technological Institute (INATEC) and the National Council of Universities
Sunday, March 24, 3pm ET: Preliminary title “Power and Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua“This will be a report-back from January delegation members who explored this topic in depth.
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: March 11), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
The deceptively named Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights Act is advancing through Congress. Designed to do the exact opposite of promoting sovereignty or human rights, it must be stopped.
We must urge legislators not to impose such collective punishment on the Nicaraguan people, which will hurt the most vulnerable and exacerbate migration.
Senate Bill 1881 was filed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) in June 2023. It will likely be discussed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before mid-February. Its companion, House Bill, H.R.6954, was filed on January 11th and has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The legislation would:
Work with bank member countries to curtail lending to Nicaragua from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) – the only bank still lending to Nicaragua in amounts that help development.
Ban some imports into the United States of Nicaraguan beef, coffee, and gold.
Initiate measures to remove Nicaragua from the regional free trade agreement, DR-CAFTA (Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement).
Prohibit new US investment in Nicaragua.
Impacts of sanctions
The US government has illegally imposed unilateral coercive measures (a.k.a. sanctions) on some 40 countries around the world, in which one-third of humanity lives. Whole populations are ultimately denied access to the necessities of life, such as adequate food, clean water, medicines, and fuel. The most vulnerable citizens – children, the elderly, the sick and the poor – are most heavily impacted.
Ever increasing sanctions on Nicaragua could lead to situations such as that of Venezuela, with 40,000 excess deaths in just one year due to the US blockade of its oil sector. In Cuba, the people are suffering the worst humanitarian crisis in their history from the ever tightening 60-year blockade.
The NICA Act, imposed in 2018, already caused Nicaragua to lose over $1.4 billion between 2018 and 2021, amounting to 90% of its funding from the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the International Monitory Fund (IMF). This has impacted development of the Caribbean coast, school lunch programs for vulnerable children, child development programs, access to safe drinking water in rural areas and much more.
From 2018-2022 Nicaragua saw its IDB loans fall by $131 million annually, money which would have enabled the country to build 265 kilometers of roads and four hospitals, and to improve drinking water systems in two main cities. CABEI has been picking up the slack, so the US Congress is now pressuring this bank to withhold loans to Nicaragua. And the US does not even hold membership in CABEI while Nicaragua holds 10.6% of shares.
What we must do
Now is the time for US-based friends of the Nicaraguan people who care about peace and justice to tell their members of Congress to vote NO on S.1881 and H.R.6954!
1. Find your representative here and your senators here and call them. When you call, ask to speak with the aide who handles foreign policy. If the foreign policy aide is not available, ask to leave a message on his or her voice-mail. Here is a sample script (even better if you put this in your own words):
My name is _______ and I am a constituent from (town/city), in (your state). I want senator or representative _______ to vote NO on Senate bill 1881/ H.R.6954 that would impose further sanctions on the people of Nicaragua. Unilateral coercive measures are illegal under international law and have been extensively proven to cause suffering and death among the most vulnerable people—children, the elderly, the sick, and the poor. The measures do not improve conditions in the targeted countries, they negatively impact human rights, and they exacerbate migration. For these reasons and more, I urge you to vote NO on S.1881 or H.R.6954. Thank you.
Email your representative (here) and your senators (here). You could use the above paragraph and add the following detail:
S.1881/H.R.6954 would ban some gold, coffee, and beef exports from Nicaragua to the United States, which could impact thousands of jobs in Nicaragua, destabilize the economy, and force people to migrate. Measures to expel Nicaragua from the DR-CAFTA trade agreement and exclude it from financing at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, could not be accomplished without violating the law and interfering in the sovereign decisions of other Central American countries. Those countries would also likely be destabilized by disruption of the Nicaraguan economy. For these reasons and more, I urge you to vote NO on S.1881 or H.R.6954. Thank you.
Sign here to tell Congress to support the House Resolution to Annul the Monroe Doctrine, including its call for the elimination of all unilateral economic sanctions.
Write to the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition here to join our efforts to stop further sanctions.
Share this message with all your contacts and encourage them to tell Congress to Vote NO on S.1881/H.R.6954!
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Benjamin Cardin (chair)
MD
D
(202) 224-4524
Jean Shaheen
NH
D
(202)224-2841
Christopher Coons
DE
D
(202) 224-5042
Tim Kaine
VA
D
(202)224-4024
Jeff Merkley
OR
D
202-224-3753
Chris Murphy
CT
D
(202) 224-4041
Cory Booker
NJ
D
(202) 224-3224
Brian Schatz
HI
D
(202)224-3934
Chris Van Hollen
MD
D
(202) 224-4654
Tammy Duckworth
IL
D
(202) 224-2854
Senate Banking Committee
Sherrod Brown (Chair)
OH
D
202-224-2315
Jack Reed
RI
D
202-224-4642
Jon Tester
MT
D
(202)224-2644
Mark Warner
VA
D
(202)224-2023
Elizabeth Warren
MA
D
(202)224-2023
Chris Van Hollen
MD
D
(202) 224-4543
Catherine Cortez Masto
NV
D
(202)224-3542
Tina Smith
MN
D
(202)224-5641
Raphael Warnock
GA
D
(202)224-3643
John Fetterman
PA
D
(202)224-4254
Laphonza Butler
CA
D
202-224-3841
Three Sample Letters to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Members
You may use these three attached as resources to write your own letters. They are also good sources of information concerning the issues involved.
John Perry: The “Human Rights Industry” and NicaraguaThe Human Rights Industry by Alfred de Zayas, is a remarkable book for two reasons. One is that it brings together the insights of de Zayas and other experts into the ways in which “human rights” have been distorted to serve the interests of Western governments, principally those of the United States. But it is also remarkable because it is not the view of an outsider, but that of someone who is perhaps more immersed than anyone of his generation in the whole field of human rights, bringing 50 years of experience to his analysis.
The base of the “human rights industry” consists of small, local organizations which, as Alfred de Zayas points out, may in some cases do excellent work. However, he qualifies this: “There are few fields that are as penetrated and corrupted by intelligence services as the human rights NGOs.” De Zayas estimates that perhaps 30% are so penetrated. NED’s website shows that, between 2016 and 2020, it spent almost $1.2 million in funding “human rights” bodies in Nicaragua, in addition to funding many other activities. In 2018, Nicaragua had three main “human rights” NGOs, known for their initials in Spanish as the CPDH, ANPDH and CENIDH, as well as several smaller organizations, most receiving foreign funding. Both CPDH and ANPDH were financed by the NED. CPDH also received more than $7 million from an offshoot of the Organization of American States (OAS). CENIDH is not known to have received NED funding but in the build-up to the coup attempt was awarded a staggering $23 million by various European institutions, some with government connections.
Events & Actions:
Sunday, February 25, 3pm ET: Preliminary title “The Evolution of Education in Nicaragua” Spanish & English Interpretation provided. Confirmed speaker: Juan Salvador Mendez, member of the Directors’ Council of the Ministry of Education. Invited speakers (awaiting confirmation) from National Technological Institute (INATEC) and the National Council of Universities
Sunday, March 24, 3pm ET: Preliminary title “Power and Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua“This will be a report-back from January delegation members who explored this topic in depth.
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: February 12), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
Nicaragua strengthens its bi-oceanic position with the expansion of its road infrastructure; Nicaragua consolidates: “Three consecutive years that the economy has been expanding” Oscar Mojica, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, told Sputnik, “The expansion of land roads has contributed to reducing poverty from 48% to 24% and has been the main factor in reducing extreme poverty from 17% to 6% in our country.” Investment in roads for transportation and commerce is not only a factor of economic growth, it also impacts the social development of rural communities located in mountainous areas of the Central American country, he noted. “It means medical care, educational care, the solution to the big problems demanded by different social sectors, education programs in the countryside, school snacks, school backpacks, universities that are expanding throughout Nicaragua. “We are culminating the efforts of Nicaragua’s interoceanic communication with the construction of the future port of Bluefields, it is a wonderful work, dreamed of, but that is becoming a reality.”
Nicaragua’s economy is experiencing a stage of moderate but sustained expansion: with growth in the Gross Domestic Product estimated above 4%. Nicaragua shows financial strength in the accumulation of international reserves, which total around $5.3 billion in 2023, as well as the rising tourism industry. “We closed the year 2022 with $1.8 billion in foreign direct investment, and according to the Central Bank, the projection is that in 2023 we are closing with no less than $2 billion in foreign direct investments…we see a positive 2024, with expansion, with optimism, with a low unemployment rate that is oscillating between 3% and 3.5% and with businesses and entrepreneurs growing.”
January 2024 Webinar Nicaragua: Working to Make Earth Green Again75-minute webinar on Zoom, featuring Ambassador Valdrack Jaentschke, who led the Nicaragua government delegation to the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP28. Learn how Nicaragua is combating climate change, both in Nicaragua through its renewable energy and other programs, and in the international arena through its leadership and concern for the earth.
Consortium News: ICJ Israel Ruling and the 1984 Judgment Against the USTo gauge how South Africa’s genocide case against Israel might play out, Nat Parry looks back 40 years to a case that Nicaragua brought against Washington in the International Court of Justice, which ruled in favor of Nicaragua. In response, the US declared it must “reserve to ourselves the power to determine whether the Court has jurisdiction over us in a particular case” and what lies “essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of the United States.” – as if armed attacks against the sovereign state of Nicaragua was within US “domestic jurisdiction.”
Nicaragua then brought it to the UN Security Council, where Nicaragua argued that recourse at the ICJ was one of the fundamental means of peaceful solution of disputes established by the UN Charter. On Oct. 28, 1986, the U.S. vetoed the resolution calling for full and immediate compliance with the ICJ’s judgment, with France, Thailand and the United Kingdom abstaining. Nicaragua then turned to the General Assembly, which passed a resolution 94-to-3 calling for compliance with the World Court ruling. Only two states, Israel and El Salvador, joined the U.S. in opposition. (see also this issue of the Nicaragua newsletter)
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (next: February 12), 2:30 PM ET. Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
