Dokument #1285293
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
In September 1983, the government of
Nicaragua passed the Law for Patriotic Military Service (Decree
1337), which required males between the ages of 17 and 40 to
register for the draft, and made men aged 18 to 25 subject to
immediate recruitment for two years compulsory military service. [
Amnesty International, Conscientious Objection to Military
Service, (London: Amnesty International, February 1988), pp.
5,8.] There is no alternative to military service for males, and
conscientious objection is not recognized by the government. [
Ibid., pp. 11, 13.] Failure to register or to report for military
service when called up can result in up to four years imprisonment.
[ Amnesty International, Conscientious Objection to Military
Service, p. 18. ] In November 1987, Pax Christi International
was aware of six cases of people imprisoned for conscientious
objection. [ Pax Christi International, Human Rights in Central
America, (Antwerp: Pax Christi International, 1988), p. 128.]
There is an "informal understanding between the government and the
evangelical association CEPAD [Comité Evangélico
Pro-Ayuda al Desarrollo] that ministers, seminarists, and members
of traditional "peace churches" such as Mennonites and Jehovah's
Witnesses will not be called into the reserves or be drafted." [
Americas Watch, Human Rights in Nicaragua: August 1987 to August
1988, (New York: Americas Watch Report, 1988), p. 102. Also,
Pax Christi International, Human Rights in Central America,
p. 128.]
According to the Catholic Institute for
International Relations, abrogations of this agreement have
occurred, including one incident when a few Sandinista Army
officers mistreated five Mennonite church members who refused to
take up arms. In addition to verbal and mild physical abuse, "the
five resistors were threatened...with loss of their ration cards by
the departmental FSLN delegate in Boaca." [ Americas Watch,
Human Rights in Nicaragua: August 1987 to August 1988, p.
102.] Other possible sanctions which can be imposed on peasants
refusing to join militias and reserve battalions include the denial
of loans, and the suspicion of contra collaboration. [ Latin
American Newsletters, Ltd., "Co-ops at Centre of Contra War",
Latin America Regional Reports, Mexico and Central America.]
Americas Watch alleges that forced recruitment "often leads to
underage recruitment", [ Americas Watch, Human Rights in
Nicaragua: August 1987 to August 1988, p. 101.] and the
non-government Permanent Commission for Human Rights in Nicaragua
also reports the forced conscription of individuals who are unfit
for service due to age or physical illness. [ The Permanent
Commission for Human Rights publishes cases in its monthly
bulletin, CPDH.]
Please find an attached section from
Americas Watch, Human Rights in Nicaragua, August 1987 to August
1988 (New York: Americas Watch, 1988) which discusses the
incarceration and escape of a deserter sentenced to three years for
going AWOL from the Sandinista army.
Nicaragua has scheduled national elections
for 25 February 1990. The government has made a number of
concessions to encourage maximum participation of the population in
the election process. Among these was the cessation of
conscription. On 3 August 1989, the government of Nicaragua
announced that beginning 1 September 1989, conscription would be
suspended until the national elections in February. [ "Nicaragua to
halt conscription until national vote in February", The Globe
and Mail, 4 August 1989 (attached).]