WORLD

Nicaragua responds to White House threats

‘Why they want to destroy us’

Testifying last week before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee in Wash-
ington, U.S. Secretary of State George
Shultz and Defence Secretary Weinberger
argued the right of the United States govern-
ment to intervene by force in Central Ameri-
ca. The testimony comes only weeks before
Congress considers a White House request
for $14-million to fund contra operations
against the Sandinista government.

Both Shultz and Weinberger attacked the
government of Nicaragua openly as a
“threat’’ to U.S. regional interests in tones
that ominously sounded like preparations for
direct intervention by U.S. forces -into that
country.

The Tribune spoke with Pastor Valle-
Garay, consul-general of Nicaragua in To-
ronto, concerning this latest attack by the
Reagan administration and its implications.

*- Oe *

We see the Reagan administration
carrying out a terror campaign against its
own people, a campaign to create a war
psychosis in preparation for a direct U.S.
attack against our people. This is being
sold to the U.S. public — that a small,
defenceless country of three million
people threatens U.S. security.

They are preparing their people to ac-
cept a huge nuclear arms race under the
guise of a so-called ‘‘Soviet threat on
their very doorstep’’. It is part of an
overall campaign against the Soviet
Union, against Nicaragua and against
Cuba.

Why do these people want to destroy
Nicaragua?

The first reason is that Nicaragua
adopted for itself a model of develop-
ment that responded directly to the dire
needs of the country which had been

bankrupted by the internal and external
forces of imperialism.

By creating an independent economy,
a mixed economy and a pluralistic socie-
ty, Nicaragua two years after its revo-
lution in 1979, became self-sufficient in
its basic needs. Nicaragua is the only
Central American country to show eco-
nomic growth in the past five years —
five per cent in 1984.

We had attained independence from
former total slavery to U.S. multi-
nationals. We had also achieved the
democratization of our political system,
tackled the huge problems of illiteracy,
health and agrarian reform.

Provides an Example

This process challenged U.S. imperial-
ism’s former complete control in the reg-
ion. It provides a model. It shows this
can be done by others. Other Latin
American nations, deeply in debt, tied
economically, culturally and politically
to imperialism who see the Nicaraguan
revolution working successfully might
get ideas.

Another reason the U.S. wants to de-
stroy our revolution concerns the mas-
sive, anti-war campaign which correctly
points to the U.S. administration as the
main source of the war danger. It is in-
conceivable for the U.S. Establishment
that a small country like Nicaragua can
stand up to the mighty U.S., adopt a
policy of non-alignment and not permit
the U.S. to dictate to it. This, they say,
can not go unchallenged. Nicaragua
must be punished as a lesson to others
with ideas of independence.

To this we plead guilty. We are pre-
pared to die for this, and they seem pre-
pared to accomodate.

What Reagan is sending to all the

“Fertile lands for laboring hands”, reads the banner of these farmers receiving title to the

land in central ‘Nicaragua.

world’s nations, and especially to

America’s allies, is a clear message — _
anyone who challenges America’s .

supremacy must be ready to pay the
price. In our own way, without arro-
gance, we have challenged that
supremacy.

Made Every Effort

Nicaragua has made every effort any
self-respecting nation could to find a sol-:
ution to this U.S.-created situation. We
have granted absolute amnesty to any-
one who wished to lay down their
weapons and return to our country.

We have indicated our willingness to
sign the Contadora agreement — which
the U.S. pressed us to sign, then refused
to sign itself, pressuring other nations in
the region not to sign.

We have taken the U.S. to the Inter-
national Court of Justice to fight for our
right to live in peace — to keep our ports
from being mined, our airports bombed
and our crops destroyed. The U.S. then
decided to boycott the World Court.

The same day the U.S. announced it
would boycott the World Court, it also
announced suspension of bilateral talks
with Nicaragua which were being held at
the highest possible level in Mexico, and
which were an essential element to -the
Contadora peace plan.

All this should tell both the world and
the U.S. public that Washington has no
intention of solving this crisis other than
by military means, with all the con-
sequences this will bring.

President Ortega, in his inaugural
speech, said every effort has and will
continue to be made for a peaceful
settlement. He called for a meeting with
President Reagan — with no response.

The Military Option

Pressure by the U.S. military to solve
this thing once and for all is growing.
Following our elections last November,
a number of states formerly undecided as
to their approach toward our revolution,
have given their support. This is the same
message Washington is getting from the
new governments of Uruguay and
Argentina.

At the military level, U.S. efforts to
overthrow our revolution with the con-
tras has failed. Despite hurting our econ-
omy and killing 9,000 people, they do not
hold one inch of our territory and never
will.

Internally our people are more united
than ever. In fact, last week Virgillo
Godoy, who the U.S. claimed had boy-
cotted the elections, was sworn in as a
member of the Nicaragua Constituent As-
sembly representing the Liberal-In-
dependent Party.

Even at the religious level, U.S. efforts
to use the church against the revolution
have failed. Despite Vatican intimidation
and threats against Nicaraguan priests to
resign their positions in the government,

VALLE-GARAY: Our country provides 4
model to others...they are afraidofthat. —

not a single one of the four Ministers of —
State resigned. They were suspended by
the Vatican, but remain working with the
oe answering what they describe ©
‘their true Christian calling’’.
fi face of all this, the United States is |
making the last move. What we heard |
from two of the highest officers of the —
Reagan administration is almost an im-
plied declaration of war. They have liter-—
ally run out of.options.

The Reagan ‘‘think tank’’, the Herit- |
age Foundation, has just published 4 ~
paper counselling Washington to prepare ©
the American people for direct action
against Nicaragua. Over the past four —
years 67 per cent of that Broup’s recom: ©
mendations were implemented by —
Reagan.

Such groups as the Moonies and Sol |
diers of Fortune are also publicly aiding —
the contras with the tacit blessing of the
administration. Other blatant acts, such —
as the film Red Dawn, are utilized toy
create a sense of fear among the U.S.
public.

World Solidarity

‘It’s important to note that, despite |
years of open attack and threats by the ©
U.S., not a single American life has ever —
been threatened. In fact, the U.S. em-
bassy in Managua is considered one of ©
the safest in the world. |

When the U.S. press reports |
‘harassment’? by weekly demonstra- |
tions at its embassy, it should be noted —
the demonstrators are all United States _
citizens living in and visiting Nicaragua
who have made it their responsibility to |
demand the U.S. stop its aggression. |

Shultz and Weinberger should set up2 |
commission to examine why the U.S. 1S ©
held in such international contempt. We
don’t have the USSR, Canada or Mexico ©
attacking us. They have extended the —
hand of friendship to us. Concerning our ©
friendship with the Soviet Union, Cuba,
Canada or any other country, that is our
right and privilege.

The U.S. has three choices: first, tolet ©
us go on with our work to build our coun- —
try. Second to search for a peaceful poli- —
tical solution to differences. They have —
rejected these two options.

The third option is to invade Nic-
aragua. Here we ask for the solidarity of ©
the Canadian people, the world’s people,
so that Nicaragua will not be destroyed.

Reagan’s
proposed
budget a
military
bonanza

President Reagan’s budget proposals
for fiscal year 1986 arrived before Con-
gress Feb. 4 with a presidential vow to
freeze overall federal spending in order to
reduce the country’s incredible deficit of
$222-billion. When Reagan took office in
1980, the country’s deficit stood at $75-bil-
lion and, some recall, his campaign pledge
was to achieve a balanced budget by 1984.

Despite ‘‘deep cuts’ in social programs
in his first term which affected the poor of
America, Reagan’s unprecedented peace-
time arms build-up not only ate up

““savings’’ made, but plunged the country
into a fiscal crisis. His 1986 budget pro-
posals are more of the same.

Further cuts are proposed to reduce and
eliminate programs for farmers, veterans,
students, the sick, small business, ex-
porters, the environment. These had al-

ready been slashed in the past four years
by 17 per cent ($50-billion).

Military spending, which soared 55 per
cent (from $170-bill.on to $244-billion be-
tween 1980-84) will be boosted to $277.5-
billion in the 1986 budget.

The budget proposes tax cuts for the
rich, from 50 to 35 per cent and tax in-
creases for the poor from 11 to 15 percent.
Tax loopholes for corporations, while jug-
gled, will be maintained.

Switching the U.S. economy onto a
military footing in four years, with four
more to come, has not only gutted social
programs, it has also piled up a debt which
last year cost the taxpayers $111-billion to
service. 1986 proposal will boost that
figure to $131-billion, 98 per cent higher
than when Reagan:took office.

Reagan ‘stands tall’, others freeze.

8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 13, 1985