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Foreign Conflicts

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 July 2018

Thursday, 12 July 2018

Questions (70)

Catherine Martin

Question:

70. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the deteriorating humanitarian and political situation in Nicaragua (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to Irish citizens in the country; if so, whether consular assistance will be made available to them; and if he will raise the matter with his counterparts in the European Union to request that the EU condemn the actions of the Nicaraguan Government against legitimate peaceful protest and the constraining of independent media from reporting on the atrocities being carried out. [31671/18]

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Written answers

I am aware of the current crisis in Nicaragua and am seriously concerned by the deplorable loss of life and the high levels of violence and insecurity which exist in the country at present.

I wish to condemn unreservedly the appalling violence perpetrated against those seeking to defend their rights or peacefully demonstrate in Nicaragua, as well as a culture of impunity where that exists. Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are the cornerstones of any functioning democracy and those rights must be guaranteed.

A team from the UN Human Rights Office visited Nicaragua from 26 June to 3 July to carry out human rights monitoring and to support the work of the Verification and Security Commission, whose aim it is to disarm pro-government elements and to create conditions for the dismantling of barricades which have been erected by communities throughout the country.

I echo the statement made last week in the aftermath of that visit by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, calling on the Government of Nicaragua to take the necessary steps to recognise the seriousness of the situation and to adopt appropriate measures to protect the population and to prevent further deaths.

I also reiterate recent EU statements which conclude that the government of Nicaragua must impose internationally accepted standards of behaviour and practice on the police forces and disband violent groups. In order for dialogue to proceed under peaceful conditions and to guarantee the safety of participants, the police should avoid excessive force and armed groups must be reined in.

I firmly believe that inclusive dialogue remains the only way of negotiating a peaceful and democratic resolution to this crisis, which has serious national and regional implications, and of restoring the trust of the Nicaraguan people in the country’s institutions. In that regard I would encourage all relevant actors in Nicaragua to engage fully in the National Dialogue which has been mediated by the Catholic Episcopal Church.

Furthermore, I fully recognise the important role played by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in this process. The IACHR has been funded by my Department in the past and we hope to continue with similar funding to the organisation in 2018 in order to support its important work.

Ireland’s Embassy in Mexico City is responsible for Ireland’s relations with Nicaragua. The advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at present is to avoid all non-essential travel to Nicaragua. The Embassy has not been contacted by any Irish citizens currently in Nicaragua seeking consular assistance. The Embassy of Ireland in Mexico and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stand ready to provide consular assistance as needed.

While Ireland does not have a resident embassy in Managua, in keeping with our commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and working with partners on the ground, we will continue to follow the situation in Nicaragua closely, and to raise any concerns in discussions on Nicaragua at EU and international level.

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