From: nyt%nyxfer%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu (NY Transfer News)
Subject: NEWS:Panamanians Reject Dismantling Army
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: The NY Transfer News Service
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 21:20:03 GMT


Via The NY Transfer News Service * All the News that Doesn't Fit

from El Diario La Prensa
11/16 Panama

PANAMANIAN REFERENDUM SAYS "NO" TO DISMANTLING ARMY

Panama held a referendum on Sunday, November 15, to vote on 58
changes to the constitution, written by the former military
government in 1972, and to determine whether or not to abolish the
army.  With some 10% of the vote counted (336 out of 2,000 polling
places) the results showed a 67% abstention, 57% negative and 37%
positive votes.  The final results would not be availabel until
twenty-four hours after the polling places closed.  Some million
and a half Panamanians voted.

The reality is that the Panamanian army has not existed since it
was dismantled by the United States in the December of 1989
invasion.  Manuel Noriega was captured in the invasion, tried in
the United States for drug trafficking, and is serving a 40 year
prison sentence in the US.  The referendum was a kind of test for
the government of Guillermo Endara, put in place by the US
government after the 1989 invasion.  He is now suffering his
lowest popularity rate since he took office.  Endara said he would
respect the outcome of the voting, but has already stated that if
the "yes" vote loses there will be no changes or resignations in
his government.

International observers, police and spokespeople from different
parties all agreed that the voting was quiet and without incident,
except for the brief arrest of some members of the oppostion for
having hung a banner on a tree.

A magistrate from the Electoral Tribunal, Guillermo Marques,
believes that the abstention rate will be greater than 50%.  He
said he was happy with the absence of trouble and with the process
of the voting, but considered that the high abstention rate was
something the country should reflect on.  He attributed the lack
of interest in the voting to the fact that governmental power was
not at stake in this election, as well as the fact that the
reforms proposed in the referendum were very complex.  Heavy rains
may have been another reason.  The president of the Electoral
Tribunal, Eduardo Valdes, acknowledged the high abstention rate
but pointed out the cleanness of the elections.  Panama has a long
tradition of election fraud and irregularities in its less than
100-year history.  The previous elections in which Endara was
supposedly elected were anulled by the Noriega government.

The referendum was the first held in 24 years without the
supervision of the military.  Instead it was overseen by some 500
international observers, and about 1,000 observers from various
Panamanian institutions and political forces.

Supporters of the "no," mostly members of the opposition parties,
civic organizations and unions, demanded a constituent assembly,
stating that the reforms submitted to the public in the elections
were insufficient.  The Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) which
governed during two decades of military rule, was satisfied with
the way the elections took place.  The party doubts that Endara
will be able to continue in power until the 1994 elections if the
"No" vote regarding the dismantling of the army wins.  (EFE 11/16)

translated by Toby Mailman, NY Transfer News


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