NSCAG MAY UPDATE
NSCAG AGM and Solidarity Event
NSCAG’s Annual General Meeting will take place at 11am on Saturday 20th July and will be followed by a solidarity event commencing at 2pm. The events will be run as a hybrid, so attendance can be either in person or via Zoom. We are delighted to announce that His Excellency Carlos Argüello, Nicaraguan Ambassador to the Netherlands and Nicaragua's representative to the International Court of Justice, has agreed to speak at the event, either in person or via Zoom. More details about the event will follow in our June update.
Both events will take place at the Marx Memorial Library, 37a Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU. To register for either or both events, please email Louise on nscag@nicaraguasc.org.uk with your name and name of union branch/region. If you wish to join the meeting/s remotely, please let us know and we will send you the appropriate link nearer the time.
Sanctions
The deceptively named Restoring Sovereignty and Human Rights Act is advancing through the US administration. On 16 April, the Act was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and, at the time of writing, is heading to the full Senate for approval. It is no coincidence that this Act, which is designed to do the exact opposite of promoting sovereignty and human rights, was approved just one week after Nicaragua argued at the International Court of Justice to defend the Palestinian people from the genocide in Gaza. It seems clear that the US intends to punish Nicaragua for standing with the Palestinian people and for charging countries that provide weaponry to the Israeli war machine with complicity in genocide.
Existing sanctions imposed by the US have already caused Nicaragua to lose over $1.5 billion in development loans. This new package would further restrict access to those loans, which have enabled the country to build 24 new hospitals, improve roads and to bring electricity, clean water and housing to underserved communities. The package also seeks to codify broad sector sanctions on gold, beef, and coffee, jeopardising hundreds of thousands of jobs.
In addition, the Act calls for measures to remove Nicaragua from the regional free trade agreement, DR- CAFTA (Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement) and prohibits new US investment in Nicaragua. The Act also authorises ‘human rights and democracy promotion programmes’ to support Nicaragua’s right-wing opposition.
On 15 May, the US announced yet more sanctions against Nicaragua. In addition to sanctions against strategic industries which generate income for the country, the State Department issued more than 250 visa restrictions to Nicaraguan officials, including police, judges and public higher education officials, as well as select non -government actors, adding to the more than 1000 announced in previous years. The latest measures represent a further attempt by the US to undermine the economic and political stability of Nicaragua in order to hinder the country’s legitimate right to development.
Nicaragua Reiterates Strong Solidarity with Palestine
The Government of Nicaragua has reiterated its firm solidarity with the State of Palestine and said that it should be recognized as a full member of the United Nations, to make way for the only just and lasting two- state solution. This is the consensus of more than two thirds of the membership of the United Nations that officially recognizes the State of Palestine. The UN General Assembly met on May 1 to discuss the negative vote of the United States in the Security Council on April 18 to the request of Palestine to become a full member of that body. The Nicaraguan representative, Jaime Hermida, accused the United States of continuing to apply its policy of exceptionalism and obstruction in the Security Council, allowing the genocide and crimes of Israel in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. He stated that it is time for the US and European countries to listen to the voices of all humanity crying out for peace, justice and freedom, and to put an end to the unjustifiable policies of denial and exclusion of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
‘With Nicaragua leading and the global south now lending its voice, it seems clear that the world will pivot on Palestine. While the U.S. and Europe continue to facilitate genocide by arming Israel; the global south calls for ceasefire and stands in solidarity with Palestine.’ – read more in this excellent article – The Good Shepherd – by Becca Renk – see link here.
Nicaragua’s case against Germany at the International Court of Justice
On March 1, 2024, Nicaragua initiated proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that Germany violated international law by funding Israel and halting aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA). In its official application, Nicaragua accused Germany of failing to fulfil its obligation under the Geneva Conventions to prevent "serious violations of peremptory norms of international law" in Gaza. Nicaragua also alleged that Germany not only failed to prevent genocide from being committed against the Palestinian people but "contributed to the commission of genocide" through its political, financial, and military support to Israel in its continued military occupation of Palestine.
In support of their argument, Nicaragua noted that Germany ceased financial assistance to UNRWA, which provides essential aid for Palestinian civilians. Germany was one of the several countries, including the United States and Canada, that suspended their funding after allegations that 12 UNRWA staff members were part of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The application urged the ICJ to implement emergency measures mandating Germany to halt its military assistance to Israel and reverse its decision to cease funding UNRWA, given Germany's "participation in the ongoing plausible genocide and serious breaches of international humanitarian law" in the Gaza Strip.
Following public hearings held on 8 and 9 April, the ICJ issued its ruling on 30 April. The Court decided that under the current circumstances there was no need for interim measures, as Germany explained that it had significantly decreased the amount of material to be exported to Israel from 200 million euros in October 2023 to 1 million in March 2024, and that no further arms licences had been approved. In addition, Germany also stated that it had provided new funds for UNRWA. However, the Court rejected Germany's request to dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction and will therefore continue with the process. This involves a review of Germany's conduct before it reduced its material support to Israel, among other points and therefore means that Nicaragua’s right to return to the case is maintained. A statement issued by the Nicaraguan government can be found here
See also: - ‘The World Court’s Decision Means All Nations Must Respect International Law’ – an interview with Dr Carlos Argüello, Nicaragua’s representative at the International Court of Justice – see link here
‘Germany buries the evidence of complicity in genocide: Nicaragua exposes it’ – article by John Perry – see here
Webinar Recording - The Recent Caribbean Coast elections and Autonomy of the Caribbean Coast regions
A recording of the webinar organised by our international partner, the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, can be found here The speaker was Johnny Hodgson, Deputy to the National Assembly and Political Secretary of the FSLN in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCS). During the webinar he addressed the question of what ‘autonomy’ means for people living in the Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua, how and why these regions (North and South) held their own elections on 3 March of this year and who ran for election, from which parties and for what offices.
More than 137,000 Homes Built for Families since 2007
In 17 years, the Sandinista Government has built 137,385 houses, announced INVUR (Institute of Housing) director Gabriela Palacios. The conditions and facilities for the housing sector have become more dynamic, which translates into more employment, economic stability and less poverty. She said that the year 2023 closed with the building of 7,952 houses. In the first quarter of 2024 INVUR has built 1,513 houses; the goal for 2024 is 7,674 houses.
Ben Linder
28th April this year marked the 37th anniversary of the death of Benjamin Linder, a young engineer from Portland, Oregon who moved to Nicaragua in 1983 to contribute his skills to the popular Sandinista Revolution. He was a clown and a unicyclist who worked with the poor circuses in Managua where he is still remembered fondly today. As an engineer, Ben worked to bring electricity to war zones in northern Nicaragua where U.S.-funded Contra guerillas attacked villages in the dark - electricity made them safer.
After building a successful hydroelectric plant in El Cua, Ben began work on a new plant in San Jose de Bocay near the Honduran border. While measuring a stream near Bocay on April 28, 1987, Ben and two Nicaraguan colleagues, Pablo Rosales and Sergio Hernandez, were ambushed and murdered by the Contra. Although many other international solidarity workers had been killed, Ben was the only U.S. citizen to be killed by the U.S.-funded Contras. To read more see article by Becca Renk here.
Speakers
Just a reminder that we are happy to provide speakers for regional/branch meetings (online or in person). Just email me on nscag@nicaraguasc.org.uk if you would like a speaker for one of your meetings. In solidarity
Louise Richards, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group www.nscag.org Twitter: @NSCAG_UK