ELERKA Solidarity Campaign has expressed great concern at a recent Amnesty Internareport on human rights in Nicaragua. The introduction refers to a 'pattern of frequent, although generally short-term, imprisonment of prisoners of conscience; prolonged pre-trial municado detention of political prisoners, and restrictions on their right to a fair trial; and poor prison conditions for political prisoners.' Dealing with the contras, referred to the 'frequently reported torture, mutilation and executionstyle killing of captives by irregular military forces opposing Nicaraguan government.' The campaign has protested that the report spends only four pages on the contras and 32 pages on the government. Unfortunately some of the left press has seized on the contents of these 32 pages -and paid scant attention to the rest.
We asked JEREMY CORBYN, who recently visited Salvador as part of a labour movement delegation, for his views on the report and its context.
Amnesty also state that they had access to the anywhere else, and that the government has followed up instances rights violations and punished the officers responsible. It is unfortunate that incom- this has not received the same publicity as other aspects of the report.
There is without doubt a campaign to label Nicaragua a dictatorship weekly paper, produced all over Central America, carries campaign is rather hypocritical against the background of what we saw in El Salvador, where there is also a civil war.
People are alarmed that the wants to spend Nicaragua. But he spends $1½ million Cver day is Duarte won in an election. After all voting was freedoms either do not exist, or exist on the sullace only claim between 1500 and 2000 victims year.
Under decree-law suspected of being an FMLN member EI can be arrested and detained without trial, amd this is the main device used to remove second-rank union leaders.
elections.
government unparalleled all-party ot humar tions.
this line. This Development Nicaraguan $100 million British Salvador. Here sham. Formally Nicaragua's compulsory. But political The death squads Scandinavian The detentions continue.
150, anyone Reagan calls this democracy. Contrast it with Nicaragua. In 1983, for the there were foreign delegations who were given a complete free run to go anywhere they wanted An British Lcall alre even the Tory said the elections were completly free. The opposition's legal rights are guaranteed under the constitution and they continue producing a daily paper even under civil war condi.
I think that support from European governments has slackened off, and we have been trying to do something about It. Judith Hart is putting down a motion in support of the Intra-American Bank Loan farmers, nOW being negotiated. We want to fight against policy regarding export credit guarantees to Nicaragua, which are the lowest possible even though record of payment among the best in the region. This is clearly politically motivated.
The best support has come from governments. The French have given aid from time to time but little of late. And the British hide behind the need for a joint Europea response'. It is an example of the EEC's power to block and hold things up -we favour bilateral initiatives.
Socialist Action 21 March 1986