asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of decrees issued in Nicaragua on 15 October suspending constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression, to strike, to organise workers, to appeal against judicial decisions and to protection from unreasonable detention and searches of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nicaraguan Decrees.
16.
I am aware of the suspension by the Nicaraguan Government on 15 October last of a wide range of civil liberties, including those listed by the Deputy. As I indicated in the House on 5 November, this action on the part of the Nicaraguan Government, the circumstances leading to it, and the continuing crisis in Central America are matters of serious concern to the Government.
It is the Government's view that the complex problems of the Central American region including Nicaragua can only be resolved by a political agreement emanating from the region itself and without outside interference. In the words of the political joint communique agreed by the Foreign Ministers of the Ten, plus Spain and Portugal, and their Central American and Contadora counterparts at the conclusion of their Conference in Luxembourg on 12 November:
a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Central America (will) have to be based in particular on respect for national sovereignty and independence, territorial integrity and non-intervention in the internal affairs of other States and non-recourse to intimidation or force.
Would the Minister agree that the unfortunate derogations which the Nicaraguan Government had to introduce derived directly from the fact that they are fighting a battle to survive against attacks from the Contras who are armed and financed directly by the US Government? Will he undertake to make direct representations to the US Government to cease aiding the Contras in this way and so ensure that normal life can return to Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan people and that the democratic Government there are enabled to survive?
I and my Government, like other Governments of the 12 Community countries, are deeply concerned about all events in Central America which interfere with the normal democratic process in those countries and which may have the effect of preventing, for various reasons, the solution to the problems of the various countries, separately and jointly and preventing the people in that region from living without interference a peaceful and normal life. We deplore all of those strongly. As regards making direct representations to any one of the countries involved in the region whether they have come in from outside or are there already, as I have said on a number of occasions, I believe that the strongest voice Ireland has to influence events there is its voice in the EC. That is the best way we can exercise our influence there. The initiation by the EC, the Central American countries and the Contadora group last year of a joint conference in Costa Rica at which I presided and the continuation of that process in Luxembourg last month are a very valuable contribution to bringing peace and some stability to the region.