From: aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer)
Subject: Re: "Free elections" indeed
Organization: Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 13:29:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.144709.497@sdi.com> finkel@sdi.com writes:

>	 The arrest of some opposition leaders and the closing down of
>	 the opposition press occurred because they were aiding and
>	 abbetting the enemy (viz., the US led contra army).  

Note that the relevant Amnesty reports indicate that this isn't likely.
Many of those arrested where only questioned on political matters and
when released where told they would be arrested again if the didn't
either end their opposition or cooperate with the State Security Police.
If they committed actual crimes, why wheren't they interogated about
them?

In addition, none of the trials met international standards for fairness.
Many where convicted without being charged or where charged under the
Public Order Law (which is so vague that everybody is guilty under it).
Many where not allowed to be present at their trials. If they where so
guilty, why all this?

>	 The presses were never destroyed and were returned to the
>	 owners.  

Yet the censorship still remained in force even when the papers where
allowed to open.

>	 One must remember that the Sandinistas organized elections in
>	 which 7 political parties - some to the right, some to the left
>	 - were given full access to the media, money, and full rights to
>	 organize and hold rallies...

The arrest of opposition leaders without charge, witholding of ration
cards from opposition activists, violent disruption of opposition rallies
by Sandinistas, press censorship, and other abuses indicate that this
simply isn't true. 

Do you actually consider elections where this happens to be free and
fair?

>	 A few rallies were
>	 disrupted by Sandinista supporters, but there is no evidence
>	 that this was either organized nor supported by the Sandinistas.

People who fought the disruptors where jailed for doing so. This indicates
active support. 

>	 Nor was it ever a standard operating procedure, unlike in El
>	 Salvador, where even community leaders are tortured and killed
>	 by the right.

Again, Amnesty International has concluded that the abuses WHERE standard
procedure.

>	 That the Sandinista organized death squads is a smear; where's
>	 the evidence? The first act of the Sandinista government was to
>	 outlaw capital punishment, and there is no evidence that this
>	 rule was ever violated.

  "Of particular concern to Amnesty International was an incident at
   the Coco River Hamles Leimus on 23 December, 1981, when at least
   seven people, and possibly many more, where reportedly killed by
   government forces..."
      Amensty Internaitonal Report - 1984

There are also a number of mass graves which have been documented by
the OAS. In one case, the Sandinistas arrested a number of people who
later disapeared. Later a guard let family members to a mass grave where
the missing people where identified (mostly by the clothing they wore).
They petitioned the local Sandinisa leaders to have the bodies removed
and buried individually but the official refused and reburied the bodies
in the same mass grave.

There is also a report produced by America's Watch on Sandinsita death
squads published in 89 and I believe another published in 86. You could
also look at the 1990 AI special report on Nicaragua which has a chapter
on extrajudicial executions.

>	 taking action to distabilize and destroy the Nicarguan government
>	 was and is criminal.

So where the Sandinistas criminal in 1979?

>	 Actually, I think that a free press is crucial, and the
>	 Sandinistas provided an environment in Nicaragua in which the
>	 press is freeer than it ever was before.  

In a contry where cencorship is the law of the land, the press cannot
be considered free.

   Allen

-- 
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Allen W. Sherzer | "If they can put a man on the Moon, why can't they     |
|  aws@iti.org     |  put a man on the Moon?"                               |
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