< FEATURE A different American view of Nicaragua Commending Lisa Randall's. “‘elo- quent testimony’’, Tribune reader Les Hunt sent us this article published by newspapers in Randall's state of Maine along with his explanation.: “I met Lisa Randall this summer in Nicaragua. She was a student along with about 20 other Americans at the Nica, school in Estelli, a city near the Honduran border. The school is oper- ated by the Sandinistas for foreigners and offers a crash course in Spanish as well as teaching the history, politics and economics of the FSLN and _ the government. “Lisa is at present engaged ina cam- paign at home to raise funds for scholar- ships for students to follow in her foot- steps arguing that not everyone can af- ford the costs involved. Her statement is proof that the ‘Great Communicator’ has not brainwashed all American youth.” By LISA RANDALL There exists a theme in our foreign pol- icy that legitimizes and virtually makes necessary the intervention of countries with governments we view as “‘undesir- able.’ I have just returned from a month’s stay in one such country, Nicaragua. My four weeks there included living with a family of ten, taking an intensive Spanish class four hours a day, working alongside Nicaraguans in the planting of corn, clear- ing of fields for farming, and the construc- tion of houses. Also, meetings with government officials on a number of levels, a visit to a work/rehabilitation prison where the prisoners can work to support their families, a talk with religious leaders, a government opposition human rights group meeting, and working with Salvadoran refugees who choose to live and participate in Nicaragua. The list goes on, enabling me to form what I feel a rational, many angled judgement of the people’s support for the Sandinista government, their feelings towards the counter revolutionaries, and ultimately The Nicaraguans gave me the freedom to travel anywhere I chose and to — with whomever I chose. the real question, the pursuit of this his- torically developed theme. The intensive Spanish allowed me to participate fully in my family life, as well as talk to and understand those around ~ me. It also enabled me to have the free- dom to travel anywhere I chose and to speak with whomever I chose; never was I restricted or detained. The program was - not a guided tour for visitors, but a com- bined Nicaraguan/North American effort to expose anyone who wished to see the reality of Nicaragua, Nicaraguans, the effects of the revolution, and the impact of those who struggle against it. I left Nicaragua with a feeling very unlike the one I carried there with me. Being a polit- ical science student and a senior in col- lege, and having studied American For- eign Policy quite in depth, my belief in the sovereignty of all nations was very strong. After viewing and living the ef- fects of the contra revolution, hearing the stories of atrocities committed by those ‘‘moral equals’’ of our Founding Fathers, and participating in the funerals of children and soldiers alike, I have nothing but disgust and shame for United States foreign policy in Nicaragua. The counter revolutionaries (contras, freedom fighters) to this day have never publically disclosed a plan for their struc- ture of government were they to over- throw the Sandinistas. Their strategic angle for winning this war resides in the continual attack on those who live. in the countryside with little protection readily available from the army. Their targets are not the much more disciplined and dedi- cated Sandinista soldiers, but those who work to build and rebuild the infrastruc- ture of Nicaragua; teachers, doctors, work brigadistas such as construction, electrical, and telephone crews, and rev- olutionary religious leaders. They burn No democratic person would support or condone the tortures, rapes and the massacres committed by the contras. schools, massacre cooperative members, and torture those known to the people, as examples and deterrents for participating in the progress of the revolution. I asked one man in the prison why he chose to oppose the Sandinista government, and he responded, “*because they’re all com- munists.”’ I then asked him how he felt about killing his own people and he re- plied, ‘‘at first it’s difficult, then after a few it gets easy, and I’m doing it for God and democracy.” This may sound like a noble effort but I doubt God nor democratic peoples would support or condone the tortures, rapes, and the massacres I heard of from the victims, the families of the victims, and the soldiers, if these atrocities were to be made public. While I was there, just 12 kms (7 miles) from my home city of Esteli, over 300 contras attacked a small village called Mirafiora, burning the schoolhouse and hospitalizing nearly forty children, killing several, then fleeing, taking with them the dead body of a U.S. mercenary fighting for their cause. But we as a nation are supporting and condoning the contra effort, under the Fir x WS & paar erteee 4 = Ee oe eee guise of anti-communism and the hysteri- cal scare of another Soviet satellite coun- try. The group I was in posed these fears to the leading FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) member in the Esteli Region, and to anyone else who would listen, which they did, and he responded this way, “We are uniquely Nicaraguan. We copy no one yet we learn from our own and from others mistakes and suc- cesses. We don’t want other nations to TRIBUNE GRAPHIC: PAULOGRESKO — and government sponsored torture. These are not the only examples, and now Nicaragua — haven’t we paid enough, and haven’t we made the people of these nations pay enough? It’s the people who suffer under embargos and externally sponsored counter revolutions. It’s the people who suffer under our cry of God and democracy. And it’s the people who are suffering now in Nicaragua. Yet it’s that same people who popularly (67 From a historical perspective, the U.S. has intervened repeatedly in the name of democracy and anti-communism in the Central and South American region. model our revolution because there is no other nation such as ours, as all countries and peoples have different realities. Never has anyone but a Nicaraguan died on Nicaraguan soil in this struggle against the U.S. sponsored contra war, and never will there be. Nicaragua must be free to develop and govern as the people wish to develop and be governed, and to do that this war must end.” From a historical perspective, the U.S. has intervened repeatedly in the name of democracy and anti-communism in the Central and South American region; Guatemala in 1954 with the overthrow of popularly elected Arbenz; Cuba in the un- successful and unwanted Bay of Pigs in- vasion in 1962; Chile in 1973 overthrowing a popularly elected Allende to install the most repressive regime that exists in S. America today, under Gen. Pinochet, in- cluding his hated and feared death squads and democratically elected the Sandinist® government in 1984, and they say they do it again. Whether one supports the Sandinista government, is a socialist, is 4 capitalist, is acommunist, the issue is thi» have we the money, have we the i humaneness, but most importantly, hav® we the right to intervene militarily a0® economically in another country’s affails because we do not agree with their el mode of government? Is that democ Did we not free this country of ours W? revolution, and do we not pride ourselV@ in the voice and the power of the peop*’ The people of Nicaragua have s their power and they have used their ce, and they continue to do so today. 1! voice says YES to the Sandinistas and # unified NO to the contras as well as U-»” policy in their country. Isn’t it time ¥ respected that voice, and used our 0 end this bloody war? - ;