Several indigenous communities from the Caribbean coast have accused their leaders of acting for the good of a few when they sold the communally owned Miskito Cays to Peter Tsokos, a Greek investor living in Texas, in direct violation of ancient indigenous law. This law was incorporated into the Constitution of 1987 and the Autonomy Law, both approved under the Sandinista Revolution. They have always fished and drunk fresh spring water there, and now the Greek has stolen the land, claiming to have legal documents. With these documents he has convinced the police to set dogs on the people and expel them from their own land. The Rama communities are now awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court to see if indigenous rights will be upheld.
Armed soldiers block the inhabitants' use of paths that they have used for generations.
We wish the military would concern itself as much with protecting trees and rivers as it does with protecting private property. Meanwhile, at other indigenous communities in the south of Nicaragua, fishing rights are being debated with foreign investors who claim their private property rights supercede the traditional indigenous use of the land and sea resources. Natives of the region continually report human rights violations, and complain that their traditional way of life is being destroyed. In November, armed bandits arrived at the Rama community of Wiring Cay and beat up the members of the families who live there. Since then the Rama have fled the community and have not gone back out of fear.