Policies to benefit the poorest

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REAGAN VIETNAM was worried about Nicaragua's democracy. I told him that I was worried about Britain's loss of autunomy over foreign policy and how it had been reduced to being a surrogate for the United States. I told him 'I am concerned for the future of your own sovereignty." Nicaragua with Britain are enormous. Here, a very poor country, under threat from all sides, is actually creating employment, undertaking major rail and heat and power projects, building houses and schools, and improving health care: planning national spending for need not private profit. In Britain, incalculably wealthy by Central American standards, our government claims not to be able to afford to build houses and health centres or even to be able to maintain the existing number of hospitals.

The overriding impression is one of determination; every public building is festooned with posters proclaiming the fourth anniversary of the Sandinista victory and 'Todas los armas al pueblo" (all arms to the people) as the way to defend the gains made. This spirit is proclaimed on every street and every workplace where press cuttings and information about the military situation are posted. In the street, in taxis, and in shops and markets people are delighted to talk about the gains and the problems.

There is a refreshing candour about the many difficulties. The Atlantic coast of the country, cut off from Managua and the main cities by higi mountains covers half the country's land area but has only four per cent of the population. Many of them are Miskito Indians who speak a different language. 25,000 Miskitos moved to Honduras after the revolution and are now being exploited by the Contras to attack Nicaragua.

The Sandinista led government has embarked on an ambi- si ment in both the cultural and the physical sense. For the first time a book has been produced in Miskito and efforts are under way to redress the neglect of the area, which has never received.

attention it deserves from the national government: the main beneficiaries of the Atlantic Coast in the past have been the lumber and gold mining companies of New York and Chicago.

People continually ask why they are now being lectured by the United States about the need for free elections when the Somoza family's dictatorship spent nearly fifty years denying the people basic freedoms and certainly never allowed a free choice of government.

The obsession of the US administration with military and economic encirclement to smash the Nicaraguan revolution has united most of the population in determination to keep the undeniable gains and a government that is actually working for them, despite all the shortages and tribulations.

There are ten political parties, of whom four make up the Popular Front in Defence of the Revolution (Socialists,, Social Christians, Liberals and FSLN "(Sandinistas). All four propolitical pluralis, ran-align- claim a ment and a mixed economy within national planning objectives.

The opposition parties are organised too. The equivalent around the country, but no tangible signs of mass support.

The Council of State has passed a number of laws on the political parties, on mass mobilisation of the population and on the media. A whole range of social legislation has gone through and is being enacted. Elections are planned to be held by 1985 and the Parties are discussing programmes . and alliances.

The US administration are clearly determined to crush the Nicaraguan revolution. The never ending stream of American journalists and Congressional delegations must realise that they are participating in the birth of another Vietnam with the US using Honduras and Costa Rica to mount the first attacks.

Slavish

Thus far the British government has given slavish support to the US. It is the only European government to do so. The British declaration that Nicaragua, which is honouring all its debts, is not really credit worthy means that Britain is participating in an economic blockade.

Britain has 1,500 troops stationed in Belize, which borders Honduras and Guatemala. There have been strenuous denials ..of British interest in the region. Yet the government recently feted exPresident Duarte of El Salvador and one of the Prime Minister's advisers is on a fact-finding mission to Honduras.

Help is needed. We must be aware that doing nothing will help the US to try and destroy the hopes of the brave people of 'this country who so recently rid themselves of the foul Somoza dictatorship.

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Socialist Organiser no. 144 September 1 1983 Pag 9233 14340-9:200-29 30g10-290/20.

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of the Conservative party have a number of expensive hoardings