From: hallam@zeus02.desy.de (Phill Hallam-Baker)
Newsgroups: alt.activism,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: "Free elections" indeed
Date: 19 Aug 92 21:17:24 GMT
Reply-To: Hallam@zeus02.desy.de
Organization: Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron, Experiment ZEUS bei HERA

In article <1992Aug19.133839.14979@iti.org>, aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer)
writes:
|>In article <1992Aug19.095948.9261@dscomsf.desy.de> Hallam@zeus02.desy.de
|>writes:
|>
|>>|>For now I'll leave out the details of the Sandinista death squads and
|>>|>the torture. But I can't help but wonder just why people think the
|>>|>election was fair when this was going on?
|>
|>>Claiming that you have evidence that you do not reveal is hardly a credible
|>>tactic. 
|>
|>It wasn't relevant to claims about the unfairness of the election. However,
|>you can see my previous post for sources on death squads and torture.
|>
|>>If you could substantiate these claims you would have used them instead
|>>of tales about harassing trades unionists.
|>
|>Aparently you read my post somewhat selectively. The quotes document
|>hassassment of the entire spectrum of opposition to the Sandinsitas.

You are a bit over eager to claim "selectivity". You did not have evidence of
anything beyond harassment. I did not take anything out of context. 


|>>The Nicaraguan elections may not have been entirely fair, 
|>
|>Well that's progress.
|>
|>>They were also fairer than those in countries the US supports,
|>>notably those in El Salvador where the Government backed death squads were
|>an
|>>indisputable fact.
|>
|>Actually, most of those sources who liked the Sandinista election also
|>liked the Salvadoran election.

I don't think Ted Heath went out to see that one. 

The point was that while Duarte was murdering the opposition it was a bit 


|>Interesting thing about the 84 Salvadoran election: the winner was a
|>former politcal prisoner who had been tortured by the Salvadoran National
|>Guard. Aparently the Sandinsitas rig elections so they can win but the
|>Salvadorans seem to rig elections so they loose.

So you are a supporter of Deng Xiaopeng? After all he was imprisoned by the Mao
just goes to prove he's a good guy.

|>>If you care to read
|>>the section on the USA you will not find it complimentary.
|>
|>It is the first part I read. I'll stack it up against Nicaragua
|>any day.
|>
|>>So often people accuse others of their own flaws.
|>
|>Maybe, but *I* have documented my claims. How about you?

I documented your lack of documentation for your deathsquad claim. 

Do you really need documentation for the fact that the US has supported a large
number of regimes far worse than the Sandinistas? At the same time Regan was
letting North run arms to Iran, simultaneously supporting IRAQ and prolonging
another of Huseins wars. What was so bad about the Sandinistas that it justified
a campaign of terroism in which many of the people who were allegedly being
freed got murdered?

Perhaps you could list the dates of the elections the Samoza regime held and
whether they were internationaly recognised as free and fair?

--

Phill Hallam-Baker
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