Nan McCurdy, Nica Notes, March 23rd 2023
https://afgj.org/nicanotes-03-23-2023
NicaNotes ACTION ALERT: UN Human Rights Report on Nicaragua is Fatally Flawed and Should be Withdrawn
This week’s NicaNotes features an action alert from Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition, in response to an extremely negative report (summary is here) released on March 2 by the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN). We see this report as not only biased, but replete with false statements.
We are asking for organizational and individual signers as soon as possible in protest. The deadline for initial signers is Thursday night (tonight), so that our first response to the UN Human Rights Council can be sent on Friday morning (tomorrow).
The GHREN Report is based on material from only one side in spite of its mandate to examine all human rights violations. Photo of buildings burned by the opposition in 2018 is from the Nicaraguan “Report of the Committee for Truth, Justice, and Peace.”
But that is just the beginning; we’ll keep gathering signatures. Below you’ll see the protest statement, and you can sign onto the statement on this form, as an individual, on behalf of your organization, or both. (Go here for the Spanish-language version.) You’ll also find an impressive amount of additional information below to counter the claims of the report.
UN Human Rights Report on Nicaragua is Fatally Flawed and Should be Withdrawn
To the United Nations Human Rights Council:
The report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN), released by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 2, 2023, should never have been published:
- It is extremely biased, based on material from only one side in what was a serious and prolonged conflict, despite the requirement to examine “all alleged human rights violations and abuses committed in Nicaragua since April 2018.”
- The claim that the group was unable to get material from the Nicaraguan government is false because the government had already submitted very substantial documentation to both the UN and the OAS, which was never taken into account by either body.
- It completely fails to address the enormous damage done to ordinary people, businesses, and public services by violent protesters in 2018, perpetuating a gross injustice against the human rights of thousands of Nicaraguans.
- It makes many allegations that are demonstrably wrong and do not withstand a simple checking of the facts.
- It was presented in a sensational and unprofessional manner, making unfounded and damaging slurs against the Nicaraguan people and their government.
This report is an attempt to use a multilateral human rights body to lend legitimacy to a regime change campaign and justify sanctions. It is an abuse of the United Nations system.
Instead of repeating these unsubstantiated claims against a country clearly being targeted for regime change by the United States, the UNHRC should be condemning the economic coercive measures the latter country has imposed on one-third of humanity, which violate the UN Charter, kill thousands, and constitute crimes against humanity.
If the UNHRC wants to help the people of sanctioned countries, it must advocate the immediate lifting of coercive measures, which would create a climate more favorable to the enjoyment of civil and political rights. If the UNHRC wants to facilitate peace and reconciliation in Nicaragua, it must examine the testimony of ordinary Nicaraguans and the findings of the Nicaraguan Commission for Truth, Justice and Peace here. Other essential material that needs to be considered is found here, and here, and here. The spurious, unprofessional report published by the GHREN on March 2, 2023, must be withdrawn.
Initial individual signers:
Professor Alfred de Zayas, Geneva, former UN Independent Expert on International Order, author of “Building a Just World Order”, Clarity Press 2021
Richard Falk, Professor of International Law Emeritus, Princeton University
Daniel Kovalik, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh, and author of numerous books, including Nicaragua: A History of US Intervention and Resistance
Sara Flounders, International Action Center, editor of Sanctions: A Wrecking Ball in a Global Economy, by the SanctionsKill Campaign
Arlene Reed (Diablo, CA) M.Ed.
Arnold Matlin, M.D.
Barbara Larcom, Ph.D.
Coleen R Littlejohn, Sanctions Kill
Daniel Mitchell McCurdy
Erika Takeo
Dr Francisco Dominguez, former Head of Research on Latin America, Middlesex University, London, UK
James Poke, Chair, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, London
Janet Pavone
Jill Clark-Gollub
Jonah Blaustein
Katherine Hoyt, Ph.D. Alliance for Global Justice, author of The Many Faces of Sandinista Democracy, Ohio University Press
Lawrence C. Hager
Margaret Matlin, Ph.D.
Miamon Miller, Chapala, Jalisco, México
Miguel Mairena, United Methodist Missionary
Nan McCurdy, United Methodist Missionary
Nora Mitchell McCurdy
Rick Kohn, Ph.D., Professor, University of Maryland-College Park
Rob Murray
Roger D. Harris
S. Brian Willson, Viet Nam, veteran, author/activist, lawyer
Sofía M. Clark, political scientist, Managua
Susan B. Lagos, retired teacher, activist
Dr. Thomas Muhr, Principal Researcher, ISCTE-University Institute Lisbon, Portugal
Initial organizational signers:
Alianza por la Justicia Global
Casa Baltimore Limay
Chicago ALBA Solidarity
Friends of Latin America
Amigos de la ATC
Green Renaissance-Sovereign Rights Movement
International Action Center
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group
Coalición de Solidaridad con Nicaragua
Rochester Committee for Latin America
SanctionsKill Campaign
Task Force on the Americas / Marin Interfaith Task Force
Jubilee House Community
Casa Benjamin Linder