Nicaragua asks U.S. for war reparations in aid row

[struggle4progress]

Tue Dec 2, 2008 12:00am EST

MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, angry because the United States is rethinking an aid program, pressed Washington on Monday for billions of dollars in war reparations dating back to a 1980s civil war.

The International Court of Justice, based in the Hague, ordered the United States in 1986 to pay reparations to Nicaragua for training, arming and financing Contra rebels and mining Nicaraguan ports during a conflict that killed tens of thousands of people ...

The World Court never set a figure for compensation but Sandinistas said Washington owed the country $17 billion. Washington at the time rejected the court's jurisdiction ...

The U.S. government said last week it is reviewing a $175 million program of aid to Nicaragua because of concerns about recent elections in which Ortega's leftist Sandinista party won 105 of 146 municipal races. The opposition claimed the polls were rigged ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE4B115920081202



Archbishop hits out at suspension of Nicaragua aid
Friday, 05 December 2008 11:33

Archbishop Leopoldo Brenes Solorzano of Managua criticised a decision to suspend a US aid program over concerns about the results of nationwide municipal elections ...

"It's pathetic because we are a poor country, and we always need every bit of this aid," he said.

John Danilovich, chief executive of the Millennium Challenge Corp, a US government corporation that works with some of the poorest countries in the world, ordered the agency to re-evaluate its $175 million aid package to Nicaragua.

"I am not satisfied that the electoral process in Nicaragua has been conducted in accordance with the principles upon which MCC awards and delivers grants to reduce poverty," said Mr Danilovich, who added that any new disbursements would be suspended until further notice ...

http://www.totalcatholic.com/tc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=445:archbishop-hits-out-at-suspension-of-nicaragua-aid&catid=15:world&Itemid=35

[EFerrari]

1. I hope / wish someone would chime in with Ortega on this. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

2. After Reagan laid waste to that country, spreading death and destruction for political reasons,

trying to wipe out leftists altogether (in a democratic way, eh?), lying through his false teeth all the while to the American people about it, hurling the country into a living hell, murdering, maiming, torturing citizens, permanently traumatizing their loved ones, this country agreed to pay aid in lieu of restitution.

Now _Bush claims he'll steal that money from them which was promised.

Now THAT'S Republican consistancy, isn't it? You can ALWAYS expect them to harm the helpless, with no exceptions, and do it in a way which brings them the greatest suffering, the ugliest insult possible. Filthy, filthy right-wingers don't deserve public office, that's why they have to cheat to get into office in the first place. Good people don't elect Republicans.

[EFerrari]

3. One of my teachers went on a project to find Miskitu families

that were being held outside of Nicaragua. She'd show up with snapshots of their loved ones that the "Contras" had told them were dead. For what Reagan did to the people of the north coast alone, may he get his just reward.

[Mika]

4. This is sickening and pathetic.

The US government fucked that tiny country over. Big time. It continues.

I was there a couple of months ago. They need every bit of help that they can get. There is poverty there that would break an ironman's heart.

It will be hard, for personal reasons, but I will return there to share whatever I can.