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From: wall@ucbvax.ARPA (Steve Wall)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: nicaragua (long article, but *please* read)
Message-ID: <2265@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 29-Sep-84 07:00:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.2265
Posted: Sat Sep 29 07:00:39 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 30-Sep-84 02:32:48 EDT
References: <3590@decwrl.UUCP>, <502@tty3b.UUCP> <157@ttidcb.UUCP>
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 98

I'm sorry, but I can't stand it anymore. Person1 quotes the N.Y. Times,
then Person2 denounces Person1 by quoting the Wall St. Journal, then
Person1 denounces Person2 by quoting The Nation, etc, etc...

How about *thinking* about what is written, *critiquing* what is written,
or *discussing* what is written, rather than jockeying back and forth.
I think we can all agree that it is *very* hard to get a clear picture
about what is going on in C. America, but let's do the best we can with
what we have to work with.

Here are some thoughts of my own to (perhaps) get some things going:

>From: robertsb@ttidcb.UUCP (Robin Roberts)
>Subject: Re: nicaragua

>Most of the counter-revolutionaries in Nicaragua are Nicaraguan 
>peasants, or Miskito or Misura indians against whom the Sandinista government 
>is pursuing a genocidal campaign. 

Yes, the Miskito Indian situation. True, the Miskitos were not really
part of the revolution, mostly because their culture is quite different
from the more populated west coast, and there is a large mountain range and
dense jungle between the two coasts. Thus, the Sandinista's definitely
were interested in integrating the Miskitos into the revolutionary society.
They tried to teach them some of the revolutionary ideas through the literacy
campaign of 1980, although this didn't seem to work too well. Now, a few
questions:

	*When* did the relocations/persecutions of the Miskitos begin? My 
		sense is that it was not immediately after the revolution.
		Anyone have any ideas?

	*Why* did the Sandinistas relocate the Miskitos? Obviously, one of
		their main concerns was the Honduran border problem. The
		Somacistas gathered their forces on the Honduran border,
		and the Sandinistas responded by strengthening the border
		area. Thus, they had to deal with the Miskito population.

	Would the Sandinistas have relocated the Miskitos if the Honduran
		border had not been such a sensitive strategic area? I
		don't think so, and I think that the Somacistas knew this
		when they chose to gather their forces in that area. What
		do you think?

	*Who* are the Somacistas? My impression is that they are ex-national
		guardsmen (under Somoza), foreign mercenaries (who, for some
		reason, like to play jungle war games), and parts of the
		Miskito Indian population. My impression is that there are
		not a lot of peasants within the ranks of the Somicistas.
		Most peasants have benefitted from the land reform programs
		implemented by the Sandinistas, although because the
		economy is so weak, many peasants might be upset because
		their standard of living has not improved as much as they
		might want.

	What is the goal of the Somacistas? It seems pretty clear that they
		want to overthrow the Sandinistas. Is this also the US/CIA's
		goal? The administration says that they are only interested
		in cutting off the flow of arms to the guerillas in El Sal.
		Is there still a large flow of arms from Nic. to El Sal?
		Has the administration showed the American public *proof*
		that there are such shipments? Should the American public
		ask for such proof before their tax dollars are sent to
		the Somacistas?


Also, I really feel inside that the Sandinista government has tried to
improve the living situation for the many poor people in Nicaragua. By
implementing the land reform programs, they have given poor peasants
a chance to own land; these same peasants were wage laborers before the
revolution, and they didn't exactly make a lot of money. The literacy
rate dropped from ~52% to ~8%. Health care and housing was improved.
The Sandinistas broke the oligarchy, thus more people are sharing the 
wealth and land distribution is more equal. There *have*
been failures, but the intentions, I believe, were good. I think that
most people in Nicaragua have the same impression, and that's why the
revolution has survived up to this point. There seems to be a pretty
strong backing for the Sandinistas.

One more point. I just noticed that the population of Nicaragua is
2,300,000. Estimates say that the Somacistas number between 10-15,000;
That leaves 2,280,000 people who either support the Sandinistas, or
feel that the Sandinistas are better than the Somacistas. Please don't
suggest to me that 2,280,000 support the government in fear of repression
if they criticize the government; I really can't swallow that.

I'm sorry if this article is too long, but if we're going to *discuss*
the situation rather than acuse one another of "not knowing the facts",
then the articles have to be somewhat lengthly. Also, I *do* have my
biases (you can probably tell from the above comments), but I'm trying
to avoid "accusations" and "attacks". I feel that the issue is not as 
black and white as it is sometimes portrayed, and thus needs as much
discussion as possible.

Thanks for listening,

Steve Wall
..!ucbvax!wall