Nicaragua

[blindpig]

The Truth Was Almost Killed in Nicaragua
By Jeremy Kuzmarov - March 26, 2024


[Source: latamjournalismreview.org]

Survivor of Radio Station Attack By U.S. Backed Criminals During 2018 Coup Attempt Recounts Harrowing Ordeal
Carlos Alfaro León, 46, is a sports journalist who covers baseball and boxing matches for La Nueva Radio Ya, Nicaragua’s top rated radio station.


Carlos Alfaro León [Source: Photo courtesy of Jeremy Kuzmarov]

León has served as a press aide for Nicaragua’s national baseball team, covered the Pan American Games, and followed Román “Chocolatito” González, one of the world’s best boxers.

On May 28, 2018, León was nearly killed when armed right-wing thugs seeking the overthrow of the Nicaraguan government burned down Radio Ya.

León was trapped in the radio station with 22 other station employees, escaping only with the assistance of the police.


Burning of Radio Ya. [Source: tortillaconsal.com]

The arsonists cleared a path to the station by shooting four police officers and attacked the firefighters who tried to prevent the building from burning down.

After driving away from the station in his car, León was followed by men on motorcycles. They let him go only because León got out of his car in a place where there were a lot of people who would protect him.

Afterwards, thugs threatened to harm León’s two young sons.

León recounted his harrowing experience on March 14 during an online meeting hosted by Green Renaissance-Sovereign Rights Movement, a group that seeks to restore integrity to the Green Party.


Gloria Guillo [Source: covertactionmagazine.com]

Green Renaissance founder Gloria Guillo has traveled extensively in Nicaragua and covered the 2018 coup attempt for online media.

She said, in introducing León, that the burning of Radio Ya was strategic. The U.S. government needed to shut down independent media so it could control the narrative about Nicaragua and obscure that a violent coup was taking place.

León said the same thing, noting that the criminal gangs that were intent on overthrowing the Nicaraguan government had to shut the media down so they could do whatever they wanted.

Thriving again today, Radio Ya promotes largely left-wing political views, and is supportive of the Sandinista government. It is well known for supplying the local population with social services regardless of their political outlook, helping people whenever it can.


[Source: vivanicaragua.com]

The station was founded in 1990 when the left-wing Sandinistas lost elections to Violeta Chamorro, whose family’s newspaper was funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a CIA offshoot specializing in political subversion and propaganda.


Violeta Chamorro [Source: en.wikipedia.org]


Anastasio Somoza Debayle [Source: macaudailytimes.com]

The Sandinistas first came to power in a 1979 revolution that ousted Anastasio Somoza Debayle, whose family had ruled Nicaragua like a personal fiefdom since the 1930s when it had been empowered by the U.S.

Daniel Ortega was a key leader of the 1979 Sandinista revolution who returned to power in 2007 and won elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021 to extend his presidential term.

Guillo emphasized that Ortega has sustained wide popular support because his government has helped to provide the Nicaraguan people with free health care and education, provided micro-loans to help small businessmen and women, and has given people titles to land.


Daniel Ortega following the triumph of the Sandinista revolution. [Source: nimareja.fr]

Guillo said that Nicaragua is an amazing country that North Americans could learn from, particularly in the people rather than corporate-centered approach of its government.


Stephen Sefton [Source: thegrayzone.com]

Stephen Sefton, a Nicaraguan citizen who coordinates the Tortilla con Sal media collective, followed Guillo and León by providing incisive political context for the 2018 coup attempt.

Sefton said that the coup was orchestrated by the U.S. government.

The U.S. ambassador at the time, Laura Farnsworth Dogu, is now trying to undermine the left-leaning government of Xiamora Castro in Honduras and to destabilize Honduras. [Castro is the wife of José Manuel Zelaya who was overthrown in a 2009 U.S.-backed coup].

Sefton said that the Ortega government built wide support among the Nicaraguan population through a human development plan that benefited just about everyone.


Laura Farnsworth Dogu [Source: en.wikipedia.org]


Xiomara Castro [Source: en.wikipedia.org]

The U.S. gave up on electoral politics and supported destabilization measures backed by right-wing businessmen and the Catholic Church, which had come to be dominated by right-wing bishops after the aging of progressive Bishop Miguel Obando y Bravo.


Miguel Obando y Bravo [Source: en.wikipedia.org]

In the years prior to the coup, the Obama and Trump administrations ramped up funding to opposition NGOs. The NED and State Department applied their mastery in psychological warfare and used social media networks to mobilize students who participated in protests that were triggered by an impasse over social security and pension reforms.

Sefton said that many Nicaraguan youth were taken in by clever psychological techniques and that it took weeks before people realized that everything they were told about the student movement in Nicaragua was a lie.

In hindsight, it is ridiculous to think that right-wing business people—who helped mobilize the student protests—cared about expanding pensions and social security benefits.

The violence of the coup plotters became apparent as they set up barricades, like those set up by right-wing Guarimba dissidents in Venezuela, and fired Molotov cocktails at police and attacked them with machetes. Rapes were committed, people were killed, and millions of dollars’ worth of property was destroyed.


Nicaragua’s version of the Venezuelan Guarimbas. [Source: mintpressnews.cn]



[Source: cpj.org]

Sefton said that the attack on Radio Ya was precipitated by Miguel Mora, owner of a rival right-wing television station, which Mora falsely claimed was attacked by pro-Sandinista gangs.

Mora was later given a prize by the Committee to Protect Journalists for defending freedom of expression in Nicaragua in an absolute moral outrage.

Verónica Chávez, Miguel Mora, and Lucia Pineda, after Mora and Pineda's release from prison June 11, in Managua, Nicaragua. (CPJ)
Miguel Mora in center. [Source: cpj.org]
The award embodies the complicity of human rights NGOs in the 2018 coup plot along with mainstream and alternative media outlets like Democracy Now, which deny that a coup even took place and condemn the “dictator” Ortega for perpetrating a violent crackdown on student protesters and remaining in power indefinitely.

The latter is the line of the U.S. State Department and White House, which keeps extending draconian sanctions on Nicaragua under the illusory belief that they can dislodge the Sandinistas from power.

https://covertactionmagazine.com/2024/0 ... nicaragua/

[blindpig]

UN Human Rights Council again Supports US Regime Change Plans for Nicaragua
Posted by INTERNATIONALIST 360° on APRIL 4, 2024
Alfred de Zayas and John Perry


2018, armed right-wing thugs seeking the overthrow of the Nicaraguan government burn down Radio Ya.

When the United Nations sets up a “commission of inquiry,” it can result in a powerful analysis of violations of human rights law, such as the one appointed in 2021 to examine Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and its Apartheid practices. But other commissions can become political platforms aimed at demonizing a particular government by crafting narratives that give the semblance of objectivity, while suppressing all evidence that contradicts the prevailing geopolitical consensus. The ultimate aim of such commissions is not to investigate or to provide advice or technical assistance, but to support a campaign of destabilization. They make it plausible to the world at large that the human rights of the population of the targeted country are being grossly violated and that the doctrine of “responsibility to protect” (known as R2P) should be activated. In other words, regime change, even by force, would be preferable to inaction. This vulgar weaponization of human rights is a favorite device in the tool kit of some hegemonial states. It is aided and abetted by non-governmental organizations financed by the hegemons and disseminated by the echo chambers of the mainstream media.

A case in point is the work of the UN’s “group of human rights experts on Nicaragua” (GHREN), appointed to investigate alleged violations in the country in the period since April 2018. The date is chosen because it marked the start of violent protests, which quickly turned into an attempted coup d’état. The violence lasted for three months and left over 250 people dead, including opponents of the government, government officials and sympathizers, and 22 police officers.

The group’s first report, in February of 2024, ran to 300 pages. It appeared to be very detailed: for example, it included a 9-page case study of events in one Nicaraguan city, Masaya, during the period April-July 2018. Yet despite this detail, the GHREN ignored the assignment which had been set for its work, which explicitly required it to investigate “all” relevant events. The report either omitted completely, or mentioned only very briefly, the many extreme acts of violence by those involved in the coup attempt. Instead, it focused only on alleged human rights violations by government officials and, in collecting evidence, the group gave preferential access to a number of NGOs which are highly critical of the Nicaraguan government.

The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, a group made up of organizations and individuals in the United States and Canada, Europe and Latin America, including Nicaragua itself, responded in detail to the GHREN’s work. Its letter calling for the report to be withdrawn was signed by prominent human rights experts, 85 different organizations and over 450 individuals. Despite the number of people who were in support, the letter and detailed evidence submitted received no response whatever.

Indeed, the GHREN continued its work, and in February of 2024 published a further report, this time without even passing mention of opposition violence. It made no reference to the Coalition’s submissions: it was as if the criticisms of the first report and the evidence substantiating them never existed.

As one of the human rights experts who was critical of the first report by the GHREN, and as one of the organizers of the Coalition response, we have worked together to produce a second letter, which has been sent to the GHREN and to the President and senior officials of the UN Human Rights Council. This new letter says that the latest report is “methodologically flawed, biased and should never have been published.” It contends that “excluding pertinent information submitted to the study group is a breach of responsible methodology, a violation of the ethos of every judicial or quasi-judicial investigation.” The letter is signed by ten prominent human rights experts and activists, 47 organizations and over 250 individuals in Nicaragua, USA and Europe, many with long experience in Nicaragua. (The Coalition is continuing to collect signatures, which will be sent in follow-up at a later date.)

What is wrong with the GHREN’s latest report? Many examples of bias and omissions can be found within its 19 pages. One is its reference to the amnesty announced by the Nicaraguan government in 2019 for those detained and found guilty of crimes, including even homicide, during the coup attempt. The amnesty was an outcome of negotiations with the Catholic Church and others, aimed at achieving reconciliation in the aftermath of the coup attempt. However, the GHREN portrays the amnesty as benefiting only the state itself, when in fact its main beneficiaries were more than 400 opposition figures, including coup organizers, who had been convicted of violent offences. One of the most prominent beneficiaries, Medardo Mairena, had organized several murderous attacks on police stations: the worst, in the small town of Morrito, led to five deaths and nine police officers being kidnapped and beaten. Despite his crimes, Mairena was portrayed as a victim by the GHREN: he was even one of the opposition figures invited to address the UN Human Rights Council in July of 2023.

A second example is the report’s treatment of migration. Initially, the report claimed that 935,065 people had left Nicaragua, i.e., that one in eight of the population had “fled the country since 2018.” This was the figure that received publicity, even though it was absurdly high. Within a few days the GHREN realized their mistake and revised their report, so that the version currently on the website says instead that 271,740 Nicaraguans have become asylum seekers and 18,545 Nicaraguans are recognized as refugees worldwide (fewer than 1 in 20 of the population). But the report still gives no attention to the evidence that most migration from Nicaragua in the past five years has been economic in motivation, given the effects of US coercive measures on the country, and the economic downturns which resulted from the coup attempt itself and from the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic. It also takes no account of the fact that many migrants return to Nicaragua after periods of working abroad. In other words, even the lower figure likely exaggerates the numbers of Nicaraguans who (in the report’s original words) “fled the country.”

The most egregious bias in the report is its treatment of opposition figures as victims. Yes, it is true that there have been arrests, imprisonments and the expulsion from the country (with US agreement and facilitation) of many of those arrested. But the GHREN’s report assumes that those affected are innocent of any crime and are merely being persecuted as opponents of the government. It feeds the narrative of Washington, its allies and corporate media that what happened in 2018 was peaceful protest, when in practice the violent coup attempt affected millions of Nicaraguans, with lives lost, public buildings destroyed, homes set on fire and scores of government officials and sympathizers kidnapped, tortured, wounded or killed. The GHREN ignored the plentiful, detailed evidence from the Coalition which presented a more accurate narrative of what happened.

It is vital that the UN Human Rights Council pay attention to these criticisms and thoroughly review its dealings with Nicaragua. It is clear that the current expert group has totally failed in its assignment to consider “all” relevant events since April 2018 and is behaving in a completely unprofessional manner. Its work should be stopped, and a genuine attempt should be made to work with the Nicaraguan government based on a proper understanding of the needs of its people and of their experience of the 2018 coup attempt. Above all, it should urge the removal of the unilateral coercive measures (wrongly referred to as “sanctions”, implying that they are legitiamte), which are worsening conditions for Nicaraguans, not improving them.

Coda by Alfred de Zayas

The dysfunctional situation described above is not without precedent. During my six years as Independent Expert on International Order (2012-18), I myself observed manipulations and double standards, and duly informed the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that in my considered opinion some of my colleague rapporteurs were not rigorously observing their independent status and our code of conduct, particularly Article 6, which requires all rapporteurs to give due weight to all available information and to pro-actively seek explanations from all stakeholders, including the government of the state in questions, respecting the over-arching rule of audiatur et altera pars (“let the other side be heard as well”).

When in the summer of 2017 I sought an invitation to visit Venezuela on official mission, I encountered opposition within OHCHR, which attempted to dissuade me. When I did receive an invitation, thus breaking a 21-year absence of UN rapporteurs from Venezuela, I was surprised to receive letters from three major NGOs who actually asked me not to go, because I was not the “pertinent” rapporteur. Evidently these NGOs and some officials at OHCHR were “concerned” with my independence, as already demonstrated in 12 reports to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council, and feared accordingly, that I would write my own report on Venezuela, which would not necessarily support the ubiquitous US narrative.

It became clear to me that some officials at OHCHR were nervous that I would actually conduct a fair investigation, speak to all stakeholders on the ground and then make my own judgment. Indeed, I read and digested all the relevant reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. When I was on the ground in Venezuela I fact-checked these and other reports, which I found to be seriously deficient. I also consulted the reports of local non-governmental organizations in Venezuela, including those of Fundalatin, Grupo Sures and Red Nacional de Derechos Humanos, and read the economic analysis by the Venezuelan Professor Pasqualina Curcio.

When in November/December 2017 I became the first UN rapporteur to visit Venezuela in 21 years, I was subjected to pre-mission, during-mission, and post-mission mobbing. I endured a barrage of insults and even death threats. Notwithstanding an atmosphere of intimidation, my mission resulted in positive results, including the immediate release of opposition politician Roberto Picon (his wife and son appealed to me, I then submitted the case to the then Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza), the release of 80 other detainees, enhanced cooperation between UN agencies and the government, and new memoranda of understanding. The mission opened the door to the visits of several other rapporteurs including Professors Alena Douhan and Michael Fakhri, as well as by High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet. My report to the Human Rights Council in September 2018 addressed the root causes of problems, formulated proposals for solutions, incorporating the information received from all stakeholders, including the opposition parliamentarians, Chamber of Commerce, the press, diplomatic corps, church leaders, university professors, students and more than 40 NGOs of all colors. The report was criticized by mainstream NGOs in the US and Europe, for whom only those rapporteurs are praiseworthy who engage in “naming and shaming” and promote regime change.

Chapters 2 and 3 of my book The Human Rights Industry document the endemic problems in the functioning of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council that continue to cater to the priorities of the major donors. However, the general perception of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council promoted by the mainstream media gratuitously grants both institutions authority and credibility, without addressing the problems already exposed by a number of rapporteurs, including myself.

This dependence of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council on Washington and Brussels explains some of the abstruse decisions and resolutions adopted by the Council. Part of the problem lies in the ways in which staff members are recruited and in the procedures by which experts, including rapporteurs, independent experts and commission members, are appointed.

For example, it does not advance “geographical representation” simply by hiring someone from Mauritius or Indonesia, if that person has been trained and indoctrinated in US and UK universities. “Geographical diversity” does not necessarily ensure the representation of a spectrum of opinions and approaches to problems. It does not mean much when there are so and so many persons who are ticked off against a particular nationality, e.g. US, French, Russian, Chinese, South African. What is crucial is to ensure that all schools of legal thinking and philosophy, are represented. What is important is that when a candidate from State X is recruited or appointed, that he/she have first and foremost the interests of the United Nations at heart, and that he/she is not a priori committed to support the interests of the US or one of the European powers. I do not challenge the competence or expertise of staff members and rapporteurs – I challenge their ethos and independence — their commitment to the values of the UN Charter and their commitment to impartiality.

There are other obstacles to impartiality. Indeed, some OHCHR staff members are penalized if they do their work properly and do NOT follow the orders coming from above, which are mostly US-Brussels friendly. It is a regrettable reality that the donors weigh heavily in setting the agenda. There is no mechanism to ensure that the code of conduct of rapporteurs is respected, in particular Article 6. The impunity for openly siding with the US and Brussels and ignoring the rest of the world is notorious. In other words, OHCHR and the Human Rights Council have been largely “hijacked” – as indeed the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights have been. This raises the issue that Juvenalis formulated in his sixth Satire (verses 346-7): Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? – “who will guard over the guardians?”

Experience shows that being a solid professional does NOT facilitate getting a promotion. One is likely to be penalized. Abiding by the “unwritten law” of “groupthink” and supporting the Western narratives does contribute to career development. And, alas, most staffers are first and foremost interested in their careers, and not necessarily in promoting human rights. As elsewhere, it is a job.

Some outside observers have understood what game is being played and what the rules are. Reality at OHCHR and the Human Rights Council is closer to Machiavellianism and Orwellianism than to the spirituality of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ideals of Eleanor Roosevelt, René Cassin, Charles Malik, P.C. Chang and others. Notwithstanding these problems, we are optimistic that the system can be reformed, and we encourage all non-governmental people of good will and good faith to insist on reforming these institutions so that they serve all of humanity and not only the interests of a handful of powerful states. Among the NGOs that are making concrete proposals for reform are the International Human Rights Association of American Minorities and the Geneva International Peace Research Institute, both in consultative status with the United Nations.

https://libya360.wordpress.com/2024/04/ ... nicaragua/

[blindpig]

NicaNotes: UN Human Rights Council Again Supports US Regime Change Plans for Nicaragua
April 11, 2024
By Alfred de Zayas and John Perry

[This article has also been published in Counterpunch, Popular Resistance, Dissident Voice, Resumen Latinoamericano, Orinoco Tribune, Black Agenda Report, and Global Research]
Alfred de Zayas is Professor of International Law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and a former UN Independent Expert on International Order (2012-18). John Perry is based in Masaya, Nicaragua, and writes for the London Review of Books, Covert Action, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, Counterpunch, The Grayzone and other publications.


Nicaraguans march for peace in the city of León.

When the United Nations sets up a “commission of inquiry,” it can result in a powerful analysis of violations of human rights law, such as the one appointed in 2021 to examine Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and its apartheid practices. But other commissions can become political platforms aimed at demonizing a particular government by crafting narratives that give the semblance of objectivity, while suppressing all evidence that contradicts the prevailing geopolitical consensus. The ultimate aim of such commissions is not to investigate or to provide advice or technical assistance, but to support a campaign of destabilization. They make it plausible to the world at large that the human rights of the population of the targeted country are being grossly violated and that the doctrine of “responsibility to protect” (known as R2P) should be activated. In other words, regime change, even by force, would be preferable to inaction. This vulgar weaponization of human rights is a favorite device in the tool kit of some hegemonial states. It is aided and abetted by non-governmental organizations financed by the hegemons and disseminated by the echo chambers of the mainstream media.

A case in point is the work of the UN’s “group of human rights experts on Nicaragua” (GHREN), appointed to investigate alleged violations in the country in the period since April 2018. The date is chosen because it marked the start of violent protests, which quickly turned into an attempted coup d’état. The violence lasted for three months and left over 250 people dead, including opponents of the government, government officials and sympathizers, and 22 police officers.

The group’s first report, in February of 2023, ran to 300 pages. It appeared to be very detailed: for example, it included a 9-page case study of events in one Nicaraguan city, Masaya, during the period April-July 2018. Yet despite this detail, the GHREN ignored the assignment which had been set for its work, which explicitly required it to investigate “all” relevant events. The report either omitted completely, or mentioned only very briefly, the many extreme acts of violence by those involved in the coup attempt. Instead, it focused only on alleged human rights violations by government officials and, in collecting evidence, the group gave preferential access to a number of NGOs which are highly critical of the Nicaraguan government.

The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, a group made up of organizations and individuals in the United States and Canada, Europe and Latin America, including Nicaragua itself, responded in detail to the GHREN’s work. Its letter calling for the report to be withdrawn was signed by prominent human rights experts, 85 different organizations and over 450 individuals. Despite the number of people who were in support, the letter and detailed evidence submitted received no response whatever.

Indeed, the GHREN continued its work, and in February of 2024 published a further report, this time without even passing mention of opposition violence. It made no reference to the Coalition’s submissions: it was as if the criticisms of the first report and the evidence substantiating them never existed.

As one of the human rights experts who was critical of the first report by the GHREN, and as one of the organizers of the Coalition response, we have worked together to produce a second letter, which has been sent to the GHREN and to the President and senior officials of the UN Human Rights Council. This new letter says that the latest report is “methodologically flawed, biased and should never have been published.” It contends that “excluding pertinent information submitted to the study group is a breach of responsible methodology, a violation of the ethos of every judicial or quasi-judicial investigation.” The letter is signed by ten prominent human rights experts and activists, 47 organizations and over 250 individuals in Nicaragua, USA and Europe, many with long experience in Nicaragua. (The Coalition is continuing to collect signatures, which will be sent in follow-up at a later date.)

What is wrong with the GHREN’s latest report? Many examples of bias and omissions can be found within its 19 pages. One is its reference to the amnesty announced by the Nicaraguan government in 2019 for those detained and found guilty of crimes, including even homicide, during the coup attempt. The amnesty was an outcome of negotiations with the Catholic Church and others, aimed at achieving reconciliation in the aftermath of the coup attempt. However, the GHREN portrays the amnesty as benefiting only the state itself, when in fact its main beneficiaries were more than 400 opposition figures, including coup organizers, who had been convicted of violent offences. One of the most prominent beneficiaries, Medardo Mairena, had organized several murderous attacks on police stations: the worst, in the small town of Morrito, led to five deaths and nine police officers being kidnapped and beaten. Despite his crimes, Mairena was portrayed as a victim by the GHREN: he was even one of the opposition figures invited to address the UN Human Rights Council in July of 2023.

A second example is the report’s treatment of migration. Initially, the report claimed that 935,065 people had left Nicaragua, i.e., that one in eight of the population had “fled the country since 2018.” This was the figure that received publicity, even though it was absurdly high. Within a few days the GHREN realized their mistake and revised their report, so that the version currently on the website says instead that 271,740 Nicaraguans have become asylum seekers and 18,545 Nicaraguans are recognized as refugees worldwide (fewer than 1 in 20 of the population). But the report still gives no attention to the evidence that most migration from Nicaragua in the past five years has been economic in motivation, given the effects of US coercive measures on the country, and the economic downturns which resulted from the coup attempt itself and from the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic. It also takes no account of the fact that many migrants return to Nicaragua after periods of working abroad. In other words, even the lower figure likely exaggerates the numbers of Nicaraguans who (in the report’s original words) “fled the country.”

The most egregious bias in the report is its treatment of opposition figures as victims. Yes, it is true that there have been arrests, imprisonments and the expulsion from the country (with US agreement and facilitation) of many of those arrested. But the GHREN’s report assumes that those affected are innocent of any crime and are merely being persecuted as opponents of the government. It feeds the narrative of Washington, its allies and corporate media that what happened in 2018 was peaceful protest, when in practice the violent coup attempt affected millions of Nicaraguans, with lives lost, public buildings destroyed, homes set on fire and scores of government officials and sympathizers kidnapped, tortured, wounded or killed. The GHREN ignored the plentiful, detailed evidence from the Coalition which presented a more accurate narrative of what happened.

It is vital that the UN Human Rights Council pay attention to these criticisms and thoroughly review its dealings with Nicaragua. It is clear that the current expert group has totally failed in its assignment to consider “all” relevant events since April 2018 and is behaving in a completely unprofessional manner. Its work should be stopped, and a genuine attempt should be made to work with the Nicaraguan government based on a proper understanding of the needs of its people and of their experience of the 2018 coup attempt. Above all, it should urge the removal of the unilateral coercive measures (wrongly referred to as “sanctions”, implying that they are legitimate), which are worsening conditions for Nicaraguans, not improving them.

Coda by Alfred de Zayas

The dysfunctional situation described above is not without precedent. During my six years as Independent Expert on International Order (2012-18), I myself observed manipulations and double standards, and duly informed the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that in my considered opinion some of my colleague rapporteurs were not rigorously observing their independent status and our code of conduct, particularly Article 6, which requires all rapporteurs to give due weight to all available information and to pro-actively seek explanations from all stakeholders, including the government of the state in questions, respecting the over-arching rule of audiatur et altera pars (“let the other side be heard as well”).

When in the summer of 2017 I sought an invitation to visit Venezuela on official mission, I encountered opposition within OHCHR, which attempted to dissuade me. When I did receive an invitation, thus breaking a 21-year absence of UN rapporteurs from Venezuela, I was surprised to receive letters from three major NGOs who actually asked me not to go, because I was not the “pertinent” rapporteur. Evidently these NGOs and some officials at OHCHR were “concerned” with my independence, as already demonstrated in 12 reports to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council, and feared accordingly, that I would write my own report on Venezuela, which would not necessarily support the ubiquitous US narrative.

It became clear to me that some officials at OHCHR were nervous that I would actually conduct a fair investigation, speak to all stakeholders on the ground and then make my own judgment. Indeed, I read and digested all the relevant reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. When I was on the ground in Venezuela I fact-checked these and other reports, which I found to be seriously deficient. I also consulted the reports of local non-governmental organizations in Venezuela, including those of Fundalatin, Grupo Sures and Red Nacional de Derechos Humanos, and read the economic analysis by the Venezuelan Professor Pasqualina Curcio.

When in November/December 2017 I became the first UN rapporteur to visit Venezuela in 21 years, I was subjected to pre-mission, during-mission, and post-mission mobbing. I endured a barrage of insults and even death threats. Notwithstanding an atmosphere of intimidation, my mission resulted in positive results, including the immediate release of opposition politician Roberto Picon (his wife and son appealed to me, and I submitted the case to the then Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza), the release of 80 other detainees, enhanced cooperation between UN agencies and the government, and new memoranda of understanding. The mission opened the door to the visits of several other rapporteurs including Professors Alena Douhan and Michael Fakhri, as well as by High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet. My report to the Human Rights Council in September 2018 addressed the root causes of problems, formulated proposals for solutions, incorporating the information received from all stakeholders, including the opposition parliamentarians, Chamber of Commerce, the press, diplomatic corps, church leaders, university professors, students and more than 40 NGOs of all colors. The report was criticized by mainstream NGOs in the US and Europe, for whom only those rapporteurs are praiseworthy who engage in “naming and shaming” and promote regime change.

Chapters 2 and 3 of my book The Human Rights Industry document the endemic problems in the functioning of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council that continue to cater to the priorities of the major donors. However, the general perception of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council promoted by the mainstream media gratuitously grants both institutions authority and credibility, without addressing the problems already exposed by a number of rapporteurs, including myself.

This dependence of OHCHR and the Human Rights Council on Washington and Brussels explains some of the abstruse decisions and resolutions adopted by the Council. Part of the problem lies in the ways in which staff members are recruited and in the procedures by which experts, including rapporteurs, independent experts and commission members, are appointed.

For example, it does not advance “geographical representation” simply by hiring someone from Mauritius or Indonesia, if that person has been trained and indoctrinated in US and UK universities. “Geographical diversity” does not necessarily ensure the representation of a spectrum of opinions and approaches to problems. It does not mean much when there are so many persons who are ticked off against a particular nationality, e.g. US, French, Russian, Chinese, South African. What is crucial is to ensure that all schools of legal thinking and philosophy, are represented. What is important is that when a candidate from State X is recruited or appointed, that he/she have first and foremost the interests of the United Nations at heart, and that he/she is not a priori committed to support the interests of the US or one of the European powers. I do not challenge the competence or expertise of staff members and rapporteurs – I challenge their ethos and independence — their commitment to the values of the UN Charter and their commitment to impartiality.

There are other obstacles to impartiality. Indeed, some OHCHR staff members are penalized if they do their work properly and do NOT follow the orders coming from above, which are mostly US-Brussels friendly. It is a regrettable reality that the donors weigh heavily in setting the agenda. There is no mechanism to ensure that the code of conduct of rapporteurs is respected, in particular Article 6. The impunity for openly siding with the US and Brussels and ignoring the rest of the world is notorious. In other words, OHCHR and the Human Rights Council have been largely “hijacked” – as indeed the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights have been. This raises the issue that Juvenalis formulated in his sixth Satire (verses 346-7): Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? – “who will guard over the guardians?”

Experience shows that being a solid professional does NOT facilitate getting a promotion. One is likely to be penalized. Abiding by the “unwritten law” of “groupthink” and supporting the Western narratives does contribute to career development. And, alas, most staffers are first and foremost interested in their careers, and not necessarily in promoting human rights. As elsewhere, it is a job.

Some outside observers have understood what game is being played and what the rules are. Reality at OHCHR and the Human Rights Council is closer to Machiavellianism and Orwellianism than to the spirituality of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ideals of Eleanor Roosevelt, René Cassin, Charles Malik, P.C. Chang and others. Notwithstanding these problems, we are optimistic that the system can be reformed, and we encourage all non-governmental people of good will and good faith to insist on reforming these institutions so that they serve all of humanity and not only the interests of a handful of powerful states. Among the NGOs that are making concrete proposals for reform are the International Human Rights Association of American Minorities and the Geneva International Peace Research Institute, both in consultative status with the United Nations.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Briefs
By Nan McCurdy

World Solidarity Calls for Signatures to Denounce the UNHRC
The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition is calling for signatures on a letter to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), protesting a recent UN report by the misnamed Group of Experts on Human Rights in Nicaragua (GHREN). An earlier letter was sent in 2023 and now, with the support of human rights expert Alfred de Zayas, a former UN Independent Reporter, we have drafted a new response. He and some other leading figures have signed the letter, and we would like to collect as many signatures as possible. You can go to either of these links in English or Spanish to sign. Signature collection continues until April 17 in an effort to show massive resistance to the UN report. It is time for us to denounce falsehoods such as those in the GHREN report.

Thank you for your support of this effort. Below are excerpts from the recent letter:

Excerpts of Letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council:
The report of the “Group of Experts on Human Rights on Nicaragua” (GHREN), released by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on February 28, 2024, is methodologically flawed, biased and should never have been released. This is the second GHREN report. The first, published in March 2023, was denounced in a letter signed by many distinguished human rights experts, by 119 organizations and by 573 individuals. That letter of protest was totally ignored.

The Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition (the Coalition) submitted detailed evidence to GHREN about the errors and omissions in its first report. These submissions received no response; nor are they acknowledged in the new report. It is clear that the GHREN only takes into account evidence provided by opponents of the Nicaraguan government. Thus, the claim of the study group to exercise “independence, impartiality, objectivity, transparency, integrity” is absurd. In this context, former UN Independent Expert on International Order [2012-2018], Alfred de Zayas, commented that “excluding relevant information presented to the study group [GHREN] is a violation of responsible methodology, a violation of the ethics of any judicial or quasi-judicial investigation.”


To read the entire letter and sign please go to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... w/viewform

World Court Opens Hearings on Genocide Claims Brought by Nicaragua
Preliminary hearings opened on April 8 at the United Nations’ top court in a case that seeks an end to German military and other aid to Israel, based on claims that Berlin is “facilitating” acts of genocide and breaches of international law in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Israel strongly denies its military campaign amounts to breaches of the Genocide Convention. While the case brought by Nicaragua centers on Germany, it indirectly takes aim at Israel’s military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Nicaragua has asked the court to hand down preliminary orders known as provisional measures, including that Germany “immediately suspend its aid to Israel, in particular its military assistance including military equipment in so far as this aid may be used in the violation of the Genocide Convention” and international law. The court will likely take weeks to deliver its preliminary decision. On April 5, the U.N.’s top human rights body called on countries to stop selling or shipping weapons to Israel. The U.S. and Germany opposed the resolution. Hundreds of British jurists, including three retired Supreme Court judges, have called on their government to suspend arms sales to Israel after three U.K. citizens were among seven aid workers from the charity World Central Kitchen killed in Israeli strikes. Israel said the attack on the aid workers was a mistake caused by “misidentification.” (Associated Press, 8 April 2024)

MINSA to Apply Second Dose of HPV Vaccine
In the months of May and June, the second dose of vaccine against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) will be given to girls between 10 and 14 years old. Dr. Martha Reyes explained that a second dose is required to have the immunity level required for the protection against HPV. During the first HPV vaccination campaign 100% of girls between 10 and 14 years of age were vaccinated. “When we talked to the PAHO/WHO (Pan American Health Organization-World Health Organization) immunization advisors, they said that when a vaccine is introduced, usually 80% coverage is achieved. She indicated that the application of this vaccine will greatly reduce the risk of contracting the virus that causes cervical cancer. Finally, the official called on the population to participate in the National Vaccination Days that began on April 2 and ends on April 28, to protect against 18 diseases. (La Primerisima, 4 April 2024)

Mexico and Nicaragua Approve Eight Cooperation Projects
A Nicaraguan delegation participated on April 8 in the eleventh Meeting of the Joint Commission between Mexico and Nicaragua in which eight technical cooperation projects in the agricultural, environmental and risk management sectors were approved. The Ambassador of Mexico in Nicaragua, Guillermo Zamora Villa, conveyed his gratitude to President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo for the expressions of solidarity with Mexico and the breaking of relations with Ecuador, in view of the events that occurred at the Embassy of Mexico in that country. The Executive Director of the Mexican Cooperation Agency, AMEXCID, Gloria Sandoval, highlighted the excellent bilateral relationship between Mexico and Nicaragua and said that the projects to be developed with Mexico are aligned with the National Plan for the Fight against Poverty and for Human Development 2022-2026. (La Primerisima, 8 April 2024)

Government Provides Motors to 80 Fishers in Corn Island
The government delivered 80 outboard motors to artisanal fishers of Corn Island to strengthen their productive capacities after Hurricanes Eta, Iota and Julia. The 60 and 75 horsepower engines were delivered to 17 women and 63 men, as part of the government’s support for Caribbean fishing families. Lawrence Queen said he felt happy and affirmed that it is a blessing from God that these motors have been given to them. Each engine includes fuel tank, hose, an additional propeller, oil for gasoline mixture, grease for the engine and washers. This is part of the effort promoted by the government to strengthen the capacities of fishermen and fisherwomen and thus contribute to guarantee food and nutritional security for Caribbean families. So far this year, 6,686 productive packages have been delivered to 5,662 families involved in artisanal fishing on the Caribbean Coast. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/entregan ... rn-island/

(La Primerisima, 6 Abril 2024)

Nicaragua Breaks off Relations with Ecuador and Fully Supports Mexico
On April 5 Ecuadorian police officers, in open violation of international law, stormed the Mexican embassy in Quito and captured Jorge Glas, former vice president of Ecuador during the administration of Rafael Correa (2007-2017). Hours before, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had granted political asylum to Glas for being a victim of political persecution in his country. Mexico announced the immediate rupture of diplomatic relations with Ecuador.

The Government of Nicaragua issued a press release on April 6th breaking diplomatic relations with Ecuador. Here are excerpts from that press release:

“The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Nicaragua, pronounces itself in absolute rejection and condemnation of the neo-fascist political barbarism of the government of Ecuador. … We condemn this flagrant violation of International Law that we see repeated by corrupt servants to the Empires, who unfortunately occupy institutional positions in that Brother Country…. In view of this unusual and repudiatory action carried out early this morning in Quito … we make our sovereign decision to break off all diplomatic relations with the Ecuadorian Government [and] we ratify … our adherence to international law. On September 1, 2020, we had withdrawn our embassy in Quito and with this pronouncement we formalize the rupture of all diplomatic relations. Our solidarity and accompaniment in any legal action is with the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.” (TN8TV, 6 April 2024; Resumen English, 7 April 2024)

[blindpig]

NicaNotes: Germany Buries the Evidence of Complicity in Genocide; Nicaragua Exposes It
April 25, 2024
By John Perry

(John Perry is based in Masaya, Nicaragua, and writes for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, London Review of Books, FAIR, Covert Action Magazine and others.)

[This article has been published in Anti War, Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, Resumen Latinoamericano and Tortilla con Sal as well as en español aquí.]


Carlos Argüello, Nicaragua’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Advisor to Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry on International Law, explains that the object of Nicaragua’s suit against Germany is to create a precedent with wider application – that countries must take responsibility for the consequences of their arms sales. (Photo: Changing Times)

On April 11, Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the British-Palestinian war surgeon, gave his first address as the newly-appointed rector of Glasgow University, chosen in recognition of his work at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. The following day he flew to Berlin, where he had been invited to address a major conference on Palestine. On arrival he was taken away by police, interrogated for several hours and eventually told he had to leave Germany and wouldn’t be allowed to return until at least the end of April. Any attempt to speak to the conference via Zoom could result in a fine or even a year’s prison sentence. By the time he was released he couldn’t have taken part in the conference anyway, since it had been invaded by at least 900 police and closed down. Berlin’s mayor said that it was ‘intolerable’ that the conference was taking place at all.

Speaking about his experience afterwards, Dr Abu-Sittah referred to the fact that Germany had – also last week – been defending itself at the International Court of Justice against charges by Nicaragua that it is an accomplice to genocidal war. ‘This is exactly what accomplices to a crime do,’ he said. ‘They bury the evidence and they silence or harass or intimidate the witnesses.’

Watching the live feed of Germany’s lawyers at the Hague a few days earlier had been an odd experience. They gave the impression of feeling affronted that Germany had been accused of such crimes, especially by a small country which, they argued, had no stake in the case. Also, Israel could not yet be said to be committing genocide, because the ICJ has not yet determined the case brought against it by South Africa, which Germany had supported Israel in contesting. Because Israel was not party to the new case, it should simply be thrown out.

Some research might have given them a better appreciation of Nicaragua’s credentials to bring the case. Its mutual solidarity with Palestine goes back a long way. It also has more experience at the Hague than Germany, including its pioneer action against the US in 1984, when it won the case and an order for compensation later calculated to amount to £17 billion (that was never paid) for the damage done to Nicaragua by the US-funded Contra war and the mining of its ports. Carlos Argüello, who led the case last week and many of its previous cases (including the case in the 1980s), said that Nicaragua offered its expertise to Palestine and it had already joined in with South Africa’s action. It had decided to target Germany, the second biggest supplier of arms to Israel, because the US, the biggest supplier, is outside the court’s jurisdiction on this issue.

Argüello explains that the object is to create a precedent with wider application – that countries must take responsibility for the consequences of their arms sales to avoid them being used in breach of international law. Germany’s argument that legal action cannot proceed before South Africa’s earlier case is resolved is nonsense, since countries have an obligation to prevent genocide, not merely wait until it is proven to be happening. In any case, Germany must have been aware of the numerous warnings from senior UN officials of the imminence of genocide in Gaza, which began as early as October 9th.

Germany claimed that it has a “robust legal framework” in place to ensure its arms exports are not misused, and that sales to Israel are now restricted to non-lethal equipment. But any supplies being sent to a genocidal army are helping to sustain its criminal actions, Nicaragua replied.

Much was made of Germany’s historic obligations due to its Nazi history, but Argüello argues that these should relate to the Jewish people, not the Israeli state. He adds that Germany’s past might also oblige it to help prevent genocide wherever it might occur. Its government spokesman on the South Africa case had claimed that Germany is ‘particularly committed to the Genocide Convention’.

The economist Yanis Varoufakis was also banned from speaking in Berlin. He planned to conclude his speech by telling German politicians that ‘they have covered themselves in shame’ through their unflinching support for Israel’s atrocities. Carlos Argüello echoes this point when asked whether a decision by the ICJ can actually be enforced: We have to mobilize shame, he says, ‘…that’s the hope with this. Perhaps it’s being too idealistic, but it’s the only weapon we have’.

* * * * *

NicaNotes Briefs
By Nan McCurdy

Vaccination Campaign Goals Exceeded!
The brigades of the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Community Health Network have already administered more than two million vaccines and have surpassed the goal set for the National Vaccination Campaign. The weekend of April 20 and 21 the Ministry carried out the Campaign in all the municipalities of the country. The vaccination days were accompanied by parades, walks, floats, dances, piñatas and music. According to official MINSA figures, the goal was surpassed: a 100.6% compliance, applying 2,468,586 doses of vaccines. They also delivered 1,994,582 doses of anti-parasite medicine, and 632,498 doses of Vitamin A. The campaign continues this week until closing on Sunday, April 28. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/formidab ... -prevista/ (La Primerisima, 22 April 2024)

Russia and Nicaragua Join Forces Against Imperialist Sanctions
On April 22, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Presidential Advisor and Special Representative of the President for Russian Affairs Laureano Ortega signed a declaration on ways to counteract, mitigate and compensate for the negative consequences of unilateral coercive measures, often called sanctions. The declaration stipulates that the use by any state of unilateral coercive measures is unlawful, contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and international law. States are strongly urged to refrain from adopting, promulgating and applying UCMs that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries.

The declaration insists that any foreign judgments imposing unilateral coercive measures on other States shall not be recognized or enforced by national courts. State and private property and assets, including bank accounts, bonds, real estate, as well as consular and diplomatic premises and facilities, shall be immune and shall not be subject to freezing, seizure or any other form of confiscation or restraint arising from the implementation of unilateral coercive measures by any authority.

The declaration further says that states should develop a road map to reduce the dependence of international trade on national currencies that tend to be used for unilateral coercive measures or to sustain the monetary hegemony of a particular state over the world economy See a fuller summary of the declaration in Spanish: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/rusia-y- ... erialista/ (La Primerisima, 22 April 2024)

Assemblies of God: Full Freedom of Worship in Nicaragua
The Evangelical Pentecostal Conference of the Assemblies of God of Nicaragua expressed publicly on April 16 that in Nicaragua there is full freedom of worship and every citizen is free in the exercise of their faith, without discrimination. Through a communiqué signed by its general secretary, Rev. Roberto Rojas, the Assemblies of God pointed out that their worship celebrations, the preaching of the Gospel and activities of a religious nature are carried out without restrictions. The Assemblies of God praises the climate of respect and tolerance that prevails in Nicaraguan society, allowing each individual to profess his or her faith according to his or her personal beliefs and convictions. The Assemblies of God communiqué recognizes the commitment of the Nicaraguan government to guarantee religious freedom and respect for the diversity of faiths present in Nicaragua. Likewise, the communiqué urges the entire population to continue promoting peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all religious communities, fostering unity in diversity and cultivating fraternity among brothers and sisters of different faiths. (La Primerisima, 16 April 2024)

Exemplary Investment by Nicaragua in Potable Water
In many countries around the world, access to potable water is limited or even non-existent. However, in Nicaragua the supply of drinking water is a fundamental right that is assured to the population on a daily basis. Supplying water requires significant investments in electricity for pumping the water, for the construction of modern storage tanks, as well as for the installation and maintenance of pipelines. It is estimated that for every 1,000 liters of water, Nicaraguans pay the equivalent of US$0.27 – low because of government subsidies on drinking water rates – one of the cheapest in Latin America. The year 2024 marks an important milestone with the completion of 26 drinking water projects to improve service to homes, especially those located in the ‘Dry Corridor’ to guarantee a good water supply to more than 790,000 families. This year, 600 kilometers of pipelines are expected to be built, so more families will have access to water. (La Primerisima, 20 April 2024)

Neurosurgery Mega-fair Kicks off in Somoto
Hundreds of people arrived at the Juan Antonio Brenes Palacios Departmental Hospital in Somoto, Madriz, very early in the morning on April 20 to participate in the mega neurosurgery fair. The purpose of the event was to provide attention to people with brain problems, malformations in arteries and veins, spinal hernias, chronic pain, and neuralgia, among others. A team of 50 specialists in brain diseases and damage saw more than 600 patients from 69 neighborhoods and 380 communities of the nine municipalities of the department of Madriz. In addition, attention in natural medicine and complementary therapies was available. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/arranca- ... to-madriz/ (La Primerisima, 20 April 2024)

Nearly 82% of Nicaraguans Approve of Ortega’s Administration
A total of 81.7% of the population approves of President Daniel Ortega’s administration, according to the latest survey released April 17 by the firm M & R Consultores. In the same poll, 91.1% consider that the government of Daniel Ortega generates hope. 80.2% of Nicaraguans believe that the Sandinista government is leading the country in the right direction. Likewise, 80.7% of those interviewed agreed that President Ortega is a democratic ruler who abides by the laws of the country. Also, 80.5% of the citizens consulted said that Ortega seeks unity and reconciliation among Nicaraguans. The survey indicates that 81.7% of the citizens surveyed consider that the Sandinista government takes into account the interests of the general population. In addition, 94.0% of those polled said that there is peace in Nicaragua and only 6.0% believe the opposite. 89.7% of Nicaraguans believe that there is freedom for people to think, say or do what they consider, within the framework of respect. See full report: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/casi-el- ... de-daniel/ (La Primerisima, 17 April 2024)

President Ortega In Venezuela for ALBA Meeting
At midnight on April 23, President Daniel Ortega arrived in Caracas to participate in the summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA). Most of the ALBA Heads of State are expected to participate in this ALBA summit. On April 23 the Prime Ministers of Antigua, Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Gaston Browne and Ralph Gonsalves, arrived for the meeting. Venezuelan Executive Secretary Jorge Arreaza delivered an inaugural speech entitled “The principle of unity as a transforming element” and stated that ALBA’s objective is to achieve self-determination, that “We should be free and happy with our needs satisfied.” He said that the ALBA strategy includes new projects to strengthen economic, health, education and environmental protection plans. ALBA is also establishing a network for the protection of human and social rights, and creating the ALBA Parliamentary Network and the ALBA-Youth space. The two-day meeting has attendance by 300 delegates from 60 countries and also by organizations and social movements, political parties, and others from the member states of the bloc and guests from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America. (Radio La Primerisima, 24 April 2024)

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. (La Primerisima, 22 April 2024)

Chinese Company to Build Solar Plant in Ciudad Darío
President Daniel Ortega authorized the Ministry of Energy and Mines to sign a contract with a Chinese company to design, supply and build a solar photovoltaic power generation plant with a capacity of 67.35 megawatts in Ciudad Dario, according to a decree published on Tuesday in the official government publication La Gaceta. Through the decree, President Ortega authorized the Director General of Electricity and Renewable Resources of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Santiago Hernán Bermúdez Tapia, to sign a contract with the company “China Communications Construction Company Limited.” (La Primerisima, 23 April 2024)

Online Magazine Praises Nicaragua as Travel Destination
The online magazine Marie Claire highly recommends Nicaragua, headlining: “For an Adrenalin-Packed Vacation with Views, Visit Nicaragua’s Emerald Coast. Skip the Costa Rica Crowds in favor of this coastal hotspot.” It goes on to say: “Known for its exceptional surfing, the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua is a hidden gem along the Pacific coastline. Though still rugged, the area is quickly becoming a hotspot thanks to the resorts and charming restaurants popping up along the coast, bringing with them thoughtful architecture that pops against the landscape. If your favorite vacations lean adventurous, the Emerald Coast deserves a spot on your bucket list. From sandboarding and surfing to volcanic climbs and hikes through the unspoiled wilderness, the Emerald Coast offers once-in-a-lifetime views and experiences.” To read more: https://www.marieclaire.com/travel/nica ... ald-coast/ (Marie Claire, April 2024)

https://afgj.org/nicanotes-germany-buri ... 988c15e8c4

[blindpig]

UN ‘investigates’ Nicaragua: human rights or capitalist wrongs?

Another example of a supposedly ‘international’ organisation doing the propaganda work of US imperialism.



Workers everywhere are waking up to the hypocrisy of western leaders. The audacity of accusing Nicaragua of committing ‘crimes against humanity’ while the USA and allied western governments are giving every possible support to genocide in Palestine is obscene.
Proletarian writers

Monday 13 May 2024

Many of us today are questioning whose interests our government serves. Perhaps we have always assumed, to one degree or another, that they looked after all our interests – but we’re no longer sure that’s the case.

We might be asking why our infrastructure is crumbling, why utilities, including water, are no longer affordable or safe. Or whether greed might be the cause of the cost of living crisis. What of the future for our children? Does Israel have a moral and legal right to defend itself, as our leaders and the media constantly assert? We may be questioning if the very institutions that we once unwaveringly trusted aren’t in fact corrupt.

The mounting consensus is that there is something desperately wrong with our society and with our world – and there is.

The global capitalist system, with the hegemonic United States at its helm and the rest of the G7 in its wake (Japan, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Germany) are the source of the rot. The very institutions that pretend to uphold ‘democracy’, ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’ are as corrupt as the imperialist system they serve.

The United Nations (UN) and its agencies, all the west’s cornucopia of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are all institutions created and manipulated by western geopolitical interests in order to perpetuate the unjust distribution of global wealth. Far from ‘protecting human rights’, the institutions are all about the preservation of imperialist power. Politicians and media, meanwhile, present them in such a way as to manipulate opinion, your opinion, to maintain support for the imperial machinations of the global financiers whom they serve.

That is why we must question the motivations of ‘international institutions’ that infringe the rights of nations that are resisting the might of western imperialism: countries such as Venezuela, Syria, Haiti, Niger, Burkina Faso, Russia, China, the DPRK, Palestine and Nicaragua, to name a few.

Nicaragua under attack
Nicaragua is once again under attack by the imperialist camp, which is employing a variety of techniques to demonise and destroy the country’s democratically elected government merely because it has had the audacity to demand independence, sovereignty and the right to manage its affairs in accordance with the will of its people. Socialist Cuba and socialist-leaning Venezuela face ongoing and severe sanctions for the same reason, and all three are deemed unforgiveable for attempting to take a socialist path (and setting a socialist example) in the ‘backyard’ of the USA.

By crafting narratives that give a semblance of ‘objectivity’, all the while suppressing evidence that contradicts its self-serving storylines, the USA has used the UN to launch a campaign of destabilisation in Nicaragua, thereby hoping to convince the wider world that the human rights of the Nicaraguan people are being grossly violated.

Under US direction, a group of human rights ‘experts’ on Nicaragua (GHREN) was appointed to investigate alleged violations in the country in the period since April 2018. That date was chosen because it marked the start of violent protests, which quickly developed into an attempted coup d’etat. These events were undoubtedly masterminded by the CIA – one of the many destabilisation techniques for use against non-compliant countries in the imperialist toolkit.

The violence lasted for three months and left over 250 people dead, including both opponents and supporters of the government, government officials and 22 police officers.

Using a supposedly ‘independent’ and globally respected institution such as the UN to set up a ‘commission of inquiry’, legal minions under US coercion made a string of accusations concerning the alleged ‘human rights violations’ of the Sandinista government.

With these false accusations widely disseminated by western media, western populations are whipped up, coerced and brainwashed into believing that ‘something should be done’. Then when the USA and its vassals ‘do something’, we are led to believe they are acting for the benefit of the poor Nicaraguan people. In truth, the real aim of all this activity is regime change – the destruction of the country’s chosen government and its replacement by one that will be amenable to western looting and domination.

Remember Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Ukraine. This well-trodden strategy is wearing thin. People everywhere are recognising the tactics for what they are; fraudulent and corrupt methods of coercion and control by a US empire whose hypocritical, tyrannical ‘rules-based order’ is losing traction and support.

United Nations and hegemonic machinations
The GHREN has produced two reports, the first of which contained a plethora of detail regarding the allegations of human rights infringements by the government, but which failed to investigate all the cited events.

The report either omitted completely or mentioned only briefly the many extreme acts of violence by those involved in the US-backed coup attempt, which included senior members of the Catholic Church. Instead, it focused only on alleged human rights violations by government officials and, in collecting evidence, it gave preferential access to several NGOs highly critical of the Nicaraguan government.

Alfred de Zayas, the UN’s first independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, has commented that the GHREN was set up for the purpose of “naming and shaming” the Nicaraguan government, not for carrying out an objective investigation. He is not alone. (UN human rights council again supports US regime change plans for Nicaragua by Alfred de Zayas and John Perry, Nicanotes, 11 April 2024)

A human rights expert who was critical of the first report by the GHREN has worked with the US-based Nicaraguan Solidarity Coalition to respond to a second GHREN report. A letter criticising GHREN’s approach and conclusions was sent to the GHREN and to the president and senior officials of the UN human rights council.

The letter cited the flawed methodology and bias of the report, and contended that important information had been excluded, demonstrating clear violations of the principles of judicial or quasi-judicial investigation. The letter was signed by ten prominent human rights experts and activists, 47 organisations and over 250 individuals in Nicaragua, the USA and Europe, many with long experience of working in and engaging with Nicaragua.

A duplicitous rules-based order
The duplicity of the USA claiming to want to support ‘Nicaragua’s journey back to being a productive democracy’ when for decades it has been actively trying to undermine Nicaraguan democracy through regime-change tactics is scandalous. The USA directly financed and helped plan the violent coup attempt of 2018 that it now says should be investigated. It also tried to undermine Nicaragua’s democratic elections in 2021, and has been imposing ever more illegal economic coercive measures (sanctions) on Nicaragua since the return to power of the Sandinista government.

Sanctions are a much-loved tactic of US imperialism where it wants to bring about regime change. The objective is to coerce a population (through economic hardships ranging from shortages of luxuries to full-on starvation) to rise up and overthrow its government. In the case of Nicaragua, the USA desperately wants the overthrow of Daniel Ortega, the socialist leader who received over 75 percent of the votes when he was elected for the fourth time in 2021.

What is particularly obscene about the US pursuing its enemies under the excuse of ‘human rights’ is that sanctions are one of the worst offenders in this regard. They are an illegal form of collective punishment imposed on the Nicaraguan people because the US ruling class does not approve of the leader they elected.

Sanctions caused Nicaragua to lose over $1.4bn in funding from the World Bank, International Development Bank and the IMF in the three years from 2018-21. In a small country, the resulting budget deficit impacts everything from infrastructure projects to child nutrition and the provision of safe drinking water to rural areas.

It might have once been assumed that responsible institutions such as the G7 purports to be would protect the human rights of ordinary people, no matter where they happened to live. Under the present monopoly capitalist – ie, imperialist – economic order, however, all these institutions have only one real priority: the continuing ability to extract maximum profits from every corner of the globe and every of area of economic activity.

This is why workers everywhere are increasingly waking up to the hypocrisy of western leaders. The audacity of accusing Nicaragua of committing crimes against humanity while the USA and allied western governments are giving every possible support to genocide in Palestine is obscene.

We are witnessing in real time on our social media feeds the evidence of the horrific crimes being committed in Gaza, and our human rights-loving politicians and media are not merely silent, they actively cheer it on. Where is the so-called ‘responsibility to protect’ (R2P) that Tony Blair and Bill Clinton infamously declared in 1999 as they prepared to launch their barbarous regime-change war against Yugoslavia – a war they (falsely) claimed was necessary to prevent the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian population?

Actions and context
We must question why Nicaragua is bring targeted, and why now? Once we understand the motive, we can make sense of the methods being used and understand to what extent its outcomes are legitimate.

Nicaragua is a small, developing and revolutionary country on the doorstep of the USA. Its government practices a people-centred approach to human rights. It was one of the first to call out the genocide underway in Gaza, one of the first national governments to express support for the South African application to the International Court of Justice under the genocide convention, and it is currently taking Germany to the ICJ for providing huge political, financial and military support to Israel whilst being fully aware that the military equipment supplied will be used in the commission of crimes against humanity.

The decisions and actions of Nicaragua’s government, whether in the field of healthcare, education, economic development or climate change, are underpinned by socialist, people-first principles. It provides universal and free healthcare throughout the country, universal and free education from preschool through trade school, university and professional school. Nicaragua is a pioneer in defending the rights of the indigenous and Afro-descendent peoples of the Americas, who have communal title to a third of Nicaragua’s national territory. And it is a global leader in gender equality, ranking first in the world for women in parliament, women’s educational achievement and women in cabinet positions.

Imagine all of this in the backyard of the United States, whose model of ‘freedom and democracy’ has led to half a million homeless on its own streets, debts of $59,000 for students undertaking a four-year bachelor’s degree, and a healthcare system that ranks 69th in the world, just above that of Nicaragua despite the problems caused there by sanctions. So whose human rights are being violated by their own government?

Capitalism is the reason for the endless wars, for genocides, for ever-deeper poverty, for the terrible injustices resulting from capitalist-engendered inequality and insecurity. It is likewise responsible for environmental problems and all the major ills facing society, both in the west and around the world. The economic crisis of global capitalism – imperialism – is the root cause of the perceptible deterioration of our lives and the reckless despoliation of our planet. Those who head this system are intrinsically and systemically corrupt, and the institutions they have created to present a facade of fairness and justice are just as rotten.

It is time we stopped swallowing the whitewashing PR narratives of those who sell their souls to the monopolists and instead ask ourselves: who is benefiting from the present state of affairs?

Solidarity to the government and people of Nicaragua!

https://thecommunists.org/2024/05/13/ne ... st-wrongs/

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NicaNotes: The World Court’s Decision Means All Nations Must Respect International Law
May 9, 2024
Interview of Dr. Carlos Argüello by journalist Juan Cortez of Multinoticias, Channel 4, Managua, on April 30, 2024; translated by Tortilla con Sal.

Juan Cortez: Now, we have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Carlos Argüello, who is Nicaragua’s Representative at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Greetings Dr. Carlos Argüello.

Dr. Carlos Argüello: A very good morning. Greetings.

Dr. Carlos Argüello: “The Court reminded us again of the obligation that Germany has, like all countries that have been helping Israel, to respect the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions on Humanitarian Law.”

Juan Cortez: Doctor, Nicaragua filed an important lawsuit over violation of the Genocide Convention for Germany’s open political, financial and military support for Israel, against Palestine. Can you explain to us, what the Court ruled today?

Dr. Carlos Argüello: Well, today’s was a preliminary ruling. That is, right now what we had requested is a kind of preventive embargo. We filed the lawsuit and at the same time asked for a kind of preventive measure…. And what we have asked right now is that, while the lawsuit is being processed, Germany stop sending weapons to Israel, and that it continue financing the refugee organization, the UNRWA as it is called, which Germany had stopped since January.

So, the court now decided that Germany had basically already complied with that, because it had already resumed financing [of UNRWA], and it demonstrated that it was no longer sending armaments to Israel. So, the Court said that as long as that didn’t change, it wasn’t necessary to give an order banning something that wasn’t happening anymore.

Now, what does that mean? The trial is actually just starting, so right now what we are going to is the part where the evidence is going to be presented and we will get to the bottom of the case.

It is very clear that what the Court was saying or what it has ruled now, they simply were not (…) in violation at this time. But Germany had said that, indeed, in October it had been funding Israel, but that now it had decreased and the funding had practically ceased.

So what the Court’s Order says is that if circumstances change, that is, if Germany starts financing again, then we simply resort to the Court again. This at the same time that the trial is continuing, these are incidental moves within the trial. So, it is not the main trial, the main trial is taking its course right now.

The important thing in this case is that the Court emphasized that it did not give the order right now to desist [in sending arms], because it had already ceased, but it reminded us again of the obligation that Germany has, like all countries that have been helping Israel, to respect the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions on Humanitarian Law.

Because the position is not only that Israel is violating the Genocide Convention, which it is obviously doing. But it is violating all the Laws of War, because to be dropping one-ton bombs on the population is nothing more than a violation of the Laws of War that have existed for centuries; it is not even a matter of recent times.

The Court recalled all this and reminded [Germany] again of the obligation they have to respect. So, in conclusion, the trial is continuing, as the Court itself reaffirmed, because Germany, to cap it all, had asked the Court to say that it should not continue the trial. Obviously, the Court said that the trial is continuing, since the trial is just starting.

So, that’s pretty much the situation right now. For us it is satisfactory, because first, the Court said that we are right to say that Germany, like all countries that are helping Israel, have the obligation to cease doing so and to respect the Conventions that order the cessation of aid to a Country that is committing genocide and violating the Laws of War. So, at that point is where we are more or less so far.

Juan Cortez: As we talk, Doctor Arguello, the genocide against Palestine is continuing. Do you consider that these efforts like Nicaragua’s, with the lawsuit against Germany, are important, to stop, to influence in some way against this barbarism that is being committed against the Palestinian People

Dr. Carlos Argüello: That is actually what we think. The Nicaraguan Presidency had ordered that we use all means by which we could contribute to seek to put an end to this genocide and this massacre being carried out against the Palestinian People.

We consider that what happened just now is a warning not only for Germany because the Court did it in a generalized way; that is, reminding everyone of the obligation they have to respect these laws. So, it is a wake-up call and it is a bid to say “watch out” what they are doing, to all countries, not only to Germany.

Germany is the second largest contributor to Israel, after the United States. [Dr. Argüello explained in other interviews that the suit did not target the US because the US does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Court.] But there are also others, such as the United Kingdom, such as Canada, all these countries have to be clear about what the Court said right now and of what it is reminding us.

Of course, Nicaragua’s intention is to try to stop this collaboration, because if it did not exist, things would probably have been worked out by now and the situation would be completely different.

As we have said on other occasions and has been pointed out in other Forums, what happened in South Africa when Apartheid was in place was that, while all countries continued to collaborate with the racist regime, the racist regime continued to prevail. When the decision was taken and collaboration ceased internationally, the racist regime fell and disappeared. So, we consider that once the support for Israel stops, that may well happen.

Juan Cortez: Doctor, thank you, and do you have any closing comments.

Dr. Carlos Argüello: No. Rather, thank you for your attention. Here we are in the struggle, contributing in whatever way we can to our Palestinian brothers and sisters, who have been such a long-suffering people, that, frankly, need every support from all of us and everything we can do. Thank you very much, and a greeting to everyone.

Juan Cortez: Thank you very much, Dr. Carlos Argüello, and we will be watching the development of this lawsuit by Nicaragua against Germany.

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NicaNotes Briefs
By Nan McCurdy

Great Financial Investment in Solar Energy
As Nicaragua has worked to change its energy matrix, it has made important investments of almost US$5 billion since 2006 which have been recognized at the Central American level. Head of the Ministry of Energy and Mines Salvador Mansell discussed the development of the energy sector in recent years and future projects to be executed. In 2007, Nicaragua’s renewable energy was only 25% of total energy produced, and now the minimum is 70%, although it has on occasion reached 88% [depending on the wind and sun]. Mansell said that, in October, the El Barro project in the Department of Estelí, which is for wind energy, would begin. He also noted, “We have a 15-year projection of projects that we are going to study, that are going to begin; we will be above 200 solar megawatts next year. At this moment, the installed capacity is almost 1,900 solar megawatts.” This system is also connected to the Central American regional system. Mansell said that, in Ometepe, the Dos Volcanes solar plant is being finished, generating 1.5 megawatts, and the airport will be equipped with a small solar plant of 1 megawatt. (La Primerisima, 2 May 2024)

Nicaragua Reiterates Strong Solidarity with Palestine
The Government of Nicaragua 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. (La Primerisima, 2 May 2024)

Elected Authorities in the North Caribbean Take Office
Within the framework of the Autonomy Regime, 45 regional councilpersons and their respective alternates were sworn in and began their terms in Nicaragua’s North Caribbean Coast. This was in a solemn act presided over by the authorities of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) with the presence of special guests from the entire region made up of delegates of the Presidency, Indigenous Territorial Governments (GTIs), mayors, military authorities, delegates of the Ministries of Citizen Power and members of the National Students Union (UNEN).

Magistrate Brenda Rocha, President of the Supreme Electoral Council, said that this was the last activity on the calendar of the Caribbean 2024 elections held on March 3rd. She added that it reflected the active participation of the multiethnic coastal people in an atmosphere of joy and tranquility in which gender equity was guaranteed. The magistrates presided over the swearing in and delivery of credentials to each of the regional councilpersons. Following this was the election and swearing in of the new board of the Regional Autonomous Council of the North Caribbean Coast (CRACCN) composed of seven members, with Emilce Vanegas Wade as President. Council members also unanimously elected Carlos José Alemán Cunningham, as Coordinator 2024 – 2029 of the Autonomous Regional Government. The coastal people thus had the privilege of establishing their own government for the effective exercise of the historical rights of the multi-ethnic people. (La Primerisima, 4 May 2024)

Modern Hospital Inaugurated in Wiwilí, Jinotega
On May 4 the Ministry of Health (MINSA) inaugurated the Jorge Navarro Primary Hospital in the municipality of Wiwilí, Department of Jinotega. The Sandinista government invested US$7.62 million in the construction and equipping of this modern health care center, which has five buildings where outpatient and diagnostic services, hospitalization, emergency, administration and general services will be provided. The health personnel will provide care to more than 90,000 people living in Wiwili and the Indigenous territory of Alto Wangky. To celebrate the inauguration of the center, the authorities organized a mega health fair where 23,393 health care services were provided to pregnant women, people with brain, eye and ear disorders, malformations in arteries and veins, spinal hernias, chronic pain, neuralgia, hand, hip and knee problems, among others. During the first hours of operation of the Jorge Navarro Hospital, 11 babies were born. (La Primerisima, 4 May 2024)

Special Plan Monitors Nutritional Status of more than 50,000 Children
The Ministry of Health and Community Network brigades carry out special actions to guarantee improvement in the nutritional status of more than 50,000 children. As part of the National Plan for “Monitoring the Nutritional Status of Children from zero to six years of age,” this year the brigades have provided 749,368 services, including:

-50,639 attentions to children to monitor and improve their nutritional status.
-16,730 visits by the Community Network, as part of the program to monitor and promote growth and development.
– 483,419 house-to-house and school visits to children under six years of age, who were dewormed and received vitamin A, zinc, and micronutrients.
– 7,933 care visits to premature infants.
– 4,946 consults for pregnant women who are being followed up due to low weight gain in their babies.
– 87,471 counseling talks on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age and continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.
– 58,720 members of the Community Network trained and certified to identify children with nutrition problems and promote healthy lifestyles.
– 39,510 campaigns, nutritional health fairs, and talks held in the communities with parents, teachers, students, pregnant women and community leaders, to exchange experiences about the benefits of breastfeeding, healthy eating and physical activity for growth. (La Primerisima, 6 May 2024)

New Santa Rosa del Peñón Bridge will Strengthen Economic Activity
The Ministry of Construction and Transportation (MTI) has completed the 60-meter-long Santa Rosa del Peñón bridge, benefiting 18,700 people. Uncertainties, insecurities and anxiety in the rainy season will be left behind; this bridge will guarantee that families will have all-weather connectivity with the rest of the country. The bridge will improve the connection between the municipality of Santa Rosa del Peñón and the rest of the Department of León, and will strengthen the growth of the local economy. It will also improve access for agricultural production to national and export markets, boost mining production and promote the social development of the sub-region. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/nuevo-pu ... economica/ (La Primerisima, 7 May 2024)

National Day of Dignity Commemorated at Nicaraguan Embassy in Washington
The Nicaraguan Embassy in Washington, DC, commemorated Nicaragua’s National Day of Dignity with the participation of solidarity activists who heard from Nicaragua’s representative before the International Court of Justice, Dr. Carlos Argüello. Chargé d’ Affaires Lautaro Sandino conveyed the greetings of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo to the large audience, highlighting the example of Nicaragua in taking concrete actions in support of the Palestinian cause. Dr. Argüello spoke about Nicaragua’s motivations in suing Germany before the World Court, explaining at length Nicaragua’s efforts to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people. He emphasized that Nicaragua and its top leadership are contributing in this way to the defense of peace and international law, thus continuing the legacy of General Augusto C. Sandino of national dignity in the face of the maneuvers of U.S. imperialism and its acolytes in the rest of the world. [Editor’s note: The reason why May 4th is called the “Day of Dignity” in Nicaragua is because on this day in 1927, Augusto Sandino, breaking with his former ally Moncada, refused to sign the Espino Negro pact with US emissary Henry Stimson. Later that month Sandino wrote to Moncada, “I am at my post and waiting for you…. I will not sell out nor will I surrender.” And further, “Our enemies from this day forward will not be the forces of the tyrant Diaz [supported by the US occupiers], but rather the Marines of the most powerful empire in history. It is against them that we are going to fight….”] (La Primerisima, 4 May 2024)

Inmates Begin Courses in Agribusiness
On May 2 a new group of prisoners of the national penitentiary system started a degree course in agribusiness. Rene Vargas Artola, director of national penal education, said that it is part of the opportunity that the penitentiary system provides to the inmates, to prepare themselves in university careers. (El 19 Digital, 3 May 2024)

Nicaraguan Youth Express Their Solidarity with Palestine
In Nicaragua, young people joined protests in support of Palestine, marching in Managua and gathering in stadiums. They also expressed their solidarity with U.S. students in the face of more than 2,000 arrests at universities across the U.S. In Costa Rica, young people set up an encampment demanding that the country’s public universities break off relations with Israel. See Photos and video: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/jovenes- ... palestina/ (RT en Español, 5 May, 2024)

Photo Gallery: Beautiful Stadiums, Courts and Sports Centers
In recent years, Nicaragua has built numerous state-of-the art sports facilities. Here are photographs of some of them in Managua, Estelí, Wiwilí, Masaya, and Tipitapa showing athletes and ordinary citizens enjoying different popular sports: https://nicaraguasandino.com/galeria-fo ... nicaragua/ (Nicaragua Sandino, 2 May 2024)

Join the NicaNet Google Group
The NicaNet Google Group consists of activists who support the sovereignty of Nicaragua and the revolutionary government of Nicaragua. Membership is free, and open to all who believe in the Sandinista revolution and the Sandinista government. The Google Group is supported by the Nicaragua Network of the Alliance for Global Justice. The Google Group is moderated by Dr. Arnie Matlin, Convener of the Rochester Committee on Latin America. Members are welcome to post to the group. The topic must be totally (or at least primarily) about Nicaragua. The only other restrictions are that we discourage more than one post in a day, except under emergency situations. We encourage people to submit their own postings, but people can send in posts from other people, if it’s obvious that the piece was meant for public viewing. Finally, all entries must be in the form of civil discourse. Ad hominem or ad feminam postings will be rejected. Thank you!

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