CIVIL SOCIETY UNDER SIEGE, CLAMOURING FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001543

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN CORNFORTH AND SCHIFFER, DRL FOR MAGGIO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017
TAGS: ELAB EAID KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL NU
SUBJECT: CIVIL SOCIETY UNDER SIEGE, CLAMOURING FOR
ASSISTANCE

REF: A. MANAGUA 893

B. MANAGUA 1350

Classified By: Charge Peter Brennan for reasons 1.4(B,D)


1. (C) Over the past 2-3 months, the political section has
received over a dozen proposals from civil society
organizations concentrated in three areas: human rights
defense, organized labor, and indigenous (Miskito) groups.
Each organization claims to oppose President Daniel Ortega
and seeks financial support to develop, promote, or advance
democracy or democratic forces in some way. Feeling isolated
and threatened, these organizations are reaching out to the
USG for both assurances and assistance.

Comment
- - - -


2. (C) Because our ability to directly fund even the
smallest projects is extremely limited, post has concentrated
on trying to identify and facilitate local funding and/or to
refer proposals to other organizations such as the National
Endowment for Democracy for funding consideration. (NOTE:
Last week NED agreed to give the Nicaraguan Permanent
Commission for Human Rights - featured below - $45,000 as a
first year grant, $15,000 beyond the normal range of a first
year grant. END NOTE.) Of the many proposals received thus
far, we have forwarded only the two most promising and, we
believe, important proposals to DRL and the desk requesting
assistance (ref A, B).


3. (C) We know that some organizations will shrewdly seek to
avail themselves of the USG, playing pro-democracy and/or
anti-Ortega cards, hoping to cash-in on what they perceive as
the United States' new-found interest in -- and associated
generosity towards -- Nicaragua. However, there is no doubt
that many civil society organizations in these areas face
real pressure and are genuinely afraid for democracy or at
least respect for democratic principles.


4. (C) We stress that the proposals we forward to Washington
represent only the tip of a growing iceberg. Under the
current administration, civil society organizations will
continue to reach out for help. It is less certain if they
will continue to reach out to the USG, or even survive in
some cases, if we fail to provide some assistance. If this
happens, we could lose important access points into and
influence with civil society at a critical juncture. Local
democracy funds or some other post-managed funding mechanism
that would give us access to fast and flexible funds would
enable us, in a small way, to strategically buttress civil
society.

Partial List of Funding Requests
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


5. (C) Below is a list of ten projects received by poloffs
related to developing or reinforcing democracy/democratic
movements in the face of growing pressure and, in some cases,
threats from the Ortega government. While not a complete
list of the proposals received, it does represent the best
well-developed proposal ideas.

- Nicaraguan Permanent Commission for Human Rights: proposal
to continue defending the Miskito genocide case on the
Atlantic Coast, open departmental offices, and continue
developing database and internal capacities - $500,000 over 2
years.

- Fundacion Asociacion para la Promocion Comunitaria:
Proposal to train and provide financing for micro and small
enterprise development for 200 women in Managua - $365,000
over 18 months.

- FURCA: Indigenous defense NGO on the Atlantic Coast
Proposal by indigenous (Miskito) NGO in Nicaragua,s North
Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) to bring civic education,
democracy and leadership training to 60 communities -
$250,000.

- Permanent Workers Congress (CPT): Proposal for labor rights
workshops for CPT,s 4,800 members on national and
international labor laws and standards and roles of labor
unions in democratic societies - $182,900 over 2 years.

- Aikuki Wal: Proposal from indigenous (Miskito) NGO to
provide leadership and cooperative business management

training to approximately 60 communities in the RAAN -
$49,000.

- Association of Indigenous Miskito groups: Proposal to
finance the convocation of a General Assembly (as granted in
Law 28 - Law of Autonomy) to discuss current political,
economic, social, and cultural issues affecting the Atlantic
Coast,s indigenous populations and to re-elect new
leadership of the YATAMA movement - $18,000.

- Nicaraguan Resistance Party: Proposal to fund radio-based
civic education programs in the northern departments of
Jinotega and Matagalpa - $12,000.

- United Teachers Union (USM): Proposal to finance a general
assembly of 800 members of affiliated syndicates (covered by
media) to witness the announcement and signing of an
agreement to formally form USM labor confederation - $9,000.

- Centro de Derechos Humanos, Ciudadanos, y Autonomicos
(CEDEHCA): Proposal to help out youth in the RAAN - job
skills, education, etc - $8,000.

- Consejo de Ancianos: Proposal to finance field research to
record the cases of survivors of the "Red Christmas" exercise
carried out against the Miskitos in order to write a book -
$2,000.
BRENNAN