SATURDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2006
Second Election Interference Delegation
October 8 - 15, 2006
This October delegation will be a follow-up to the delegation of academics and activists that the Nicaragua Network organized in June to investigate the blatant US government intervention in the November 5th Nicaraguan elections. Without exception, Nicaraguan political parties and organizations that met with the June delegation indicated that the United States had crossed the line between cooperation and intervention. In light of the results of that delegation, Quest for Peace and Nicaragua Network believe that it is necessary to send still another delegation of US citizens from different walks of life to Nicaragua to monitor US actions, talk with political party representatives and civil society groups and to express to the Nicaraguan public the opposition of US citizens to the subversion of their electoral system.
This delegation will:
Meet with representatives of the four principal parties or alliances:
Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN)
Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS)
Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC)
National Liberal Alliance-Conservative Party (ALN-PC)
Meet with organizations in Nicaragua which are receiving US taxpayer money through the National Endowment for Democracy such as:
* Instituto de Estudios Estratégicos y Políticas Públicas (Strategic Study and Public Policy Institute)
* International Republican Institute
* National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
* Asociación Hagamos Democracia (Let's Make Democracy Association)
* Movimiento por Nicaragua (Movement for Nicaragua, or MpN)
* Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Humanísticos (Nicaraguan Institute for Humanistic Studies)
* Ética y Transparencia (Ethics and Transparency)
Meet with civil society groups that do not receive US government funding such as:
Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH)
Center for International Studies (CIS)
Community Movement, or others
Meet with local political and civic leaders in one or more of the departmental capitals (eg. Matagalpa, Leon, Granada) to discuss how US intervention is influencing voters in their territory.
Meet with Patricio Gajardo, Coordinator of the OAS Electoral Mission to Nicaragua.
Meet with the Supreme Electoral Council, a separate branch of the Nicaraguan government which is in charge of elections.
After the first delegation met with US Ambassador to Nicaragua Paul Trivelli for 45 minutes and then demanded an end to US intervention, it is not likely that US embassy officials will grant another meeting. The attempt will be made however to secure a meeting.
Meet with radio and newspaper reporters to let the Nicaraguan people know that US citizens support the right of the Nicaraguan people to pick their own leaders through free and fair elections.
Cost: $800 plus airfare. (price includes all ground transportation, three meals a day, lodging, translation, orientation materials, and program). On-the-ground arrangements will be made by the Asociación Kairos para la Formación and delegation members will be housed at Kairos' beautiful quinta outside Managua on the Carretera Sur.
Send an email to Nicanet@afgj.org to receive an application for the delegation. Deadline for applications is September 20, 2006
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