Stop the Attacks on Women's Rights Leaders in Nicaragua

international | gender and sexuality | press release Friday October 17, 2008 10:02 by Dorothy Gale - Catholics for Choice

URGENT ACTION ALERT

Stop the Attacks on Women's Rights Leaders in Nicaragua

URGENT ACTION ALERT - For Immediate Release

As an organization that shapes and advances sexual and reproductive
ethics that are based on justice and respect for the capacity of women
to make moral decisions about their lives, Catholics for Choice (CFC)
calls on all SRHR and HR related international organizations abroad to
act in solidarity with the Nicaraguan women's rights defenders who are
being harassed by the Sandinista government.

The Facts

· Through the Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health
Network, LACWHN, CFC has learned that women's rights defenders (see
list of names below) have received summonses to appear in Court on
ludicrous charges including corruption.

· The attacks have not been limited to legal proceedings, but
also include direct threats against their lives and the lives of their
families.

· Police raided some organizations' headquarters to intimidate
those inside as well as other Nicaraguan activists who have expressed
disagreement with the current regime.

· The women who are being harassed include Ana María Pizarro,
Sofía Montenegro, Patricia Orozco, Juanita Jiménez, Lorna Norori,
Luisa Molina Arguello, Martha María Blandón, Martha Munguía, Mayra
Sirias, Violeta Delgado and Yamileth Mejía; and lately the NGO 'Las
Venancias'.

This situation is totally unacceptable and deserves the most profound
condemnation by every organization that defends human rights and
especially women's rights.

What CFC Proposes to Do

We invite you to declare solidarity with our colleagues in Nicaragua
who face persecution because of their longstanding and steadfast
commitment to improving women's lives. National, regional and
international attention must be drawn to their plight.

· Forward this URGENT ACTION ALERT based on the one sent by the
LACWHN, to all other relevant contacts calling on them distribute it
widely;

· Write a letter to the Embassy of Nicaragua in your country as
an organization or an individual—talking points are below and a model
letter is attached (which will be soon translated into Spanish to be
mailed to other contacts in Latin America);

· Write a Letter to the Editor to one or more of the Nicaraguan
media outlets below who, we are told, are very receptive towards
publishing international messages of solidarity as the threatened
activists and civil society leaders include several journalists and
media advocates:

La Prensa:

o Eduardo Enríquez (Editor): Eduardo_enrique@laprensa.com.ni

o Jaime Chamorro: jchamorro@laprensa.com.ni

o Rolando Flores (Jefe de Redacción):
rolando.flores@laprensa.com.ni

o Dora Romero: dora.romero@laprensa.com.ni

El Nuevo Diario:

o esanchez@elnuevodiario.com.ni (Editor)

o fchamorro@elnuevodiario.com.ni (Director)

· E-mail to the government's official website (below) expressing
your opposition to the recent attacks on civil society.

o At the section 'CONTACTENOS' inside the messages' box:
http://www.elpueblopresidente.com/contacto.html

Additional Talking Points

· The government's behavior is unacceptable and reprehensible.
Democracy must be built and strengthened by society as a whole,
without the exclusion or state repression of those whose beliefs
differ from official policy.

· Our colleagues have put themselves on the front line of the
struggle for rights, and because of their dedication they are at
serious risk under the campaign orchestrated against them by the
administration of Daniel Ortega. These actions are undoubtedly revenge
for the denunciations by the women's movement against Ortega for his
direct participation in overturning the right to therapeutic abortion
in Nicaragua in October 2006.

· As organizations supporting and working for the rights of
women all over the world and especially in Latin American and the
Caribbean, we [name of your organization] demand that the Ortega
administration immediately cease its attacks on and false accusations
against the activists and uphold in its entirety the spirit of the UN
Declaration on Human Rights.

· The Declaration on Human Rights calls for governments to
protect the rights which are fundamental to the work of these
activists, including the right to meet and assemble peacefully; to
form, join and participate in nongovernmental organizations; to hold
and publish information about human rights; to complain about the
policies and actions of officials and government bodies; and to enjoy
unhindered access to international bodies. This declaration recognizes
that the ideals consecrated in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights can only be become a reality if all persons can participate in
the application of human rights and if those who strive to promote
them can do so without interference, obstacles, threats or fear of
retaliation.

· As an organization who works for women's health and/or human
rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, [name of your organization]
will continue our actions in solidarity with these activists until
such time as they are permitted to continue their work free from
harassment and intimidation.

On behalf of Catholics for Choice,
Dr. Carmen Valenzuela-Dall
Senior International Program Officer

Catholics for Choice - In Good Conscience

Tel. (202) 986-6093, Ext. 226

http://www.catholicsforchoice.org