After the Sandinista military victory in July 1979, it is reported that the new government took thousands of political prisoners which included members of the National Guard and others who played an active part in the abuses of the former Somoza government (Nicaragua:Revolutionary Justice, p.13). It is further mentioned that National Guardsmen were rounded up by citizens and turned over to members of the Sandinista Front (Nicaragua:Revolutionary Justice, p.14). According to some sources, executions of National Guardsmen occurred after they had surrendered in the final days of the conflict. Furthermore, it is mentioned that more than 100 National Guardsmen had been executed in the first few days after the overthrow of the previous government and strict measures to stop the abuse had led to the arrest of several hundred supporters of the revolution (Amnesty International report 1980, p.156.). The National Guard, the Office of National Security and the Military Intelligence Service were dissolved by the new government on 20 July 1979 (Amnesty International Report 1980, p.154.).

In November 1979, the new government established Special Tribunals (known as TPA, for Tribunales Populares Anti-Sandinistas) to try cases involving some 6,000 members of the military , officials and civilian employees of the Somoza government (Nicaragua:Revolutionary Justice, p.33). These Special Tribunals are reported to have treated membership to the National Guard as proof of criminal activity without specific evidence being produced in court (Right to Survive, p.48).

For information on prison conditions and pardons up to 1988 which included former members of the National Guard, please find attached a copy of pages from two reports by Americas Watch: Human Rights in Nicaragua 1985-1986 (Washington, D.C.: March 1986), pages 28-35 and 40-45, and Human Rights in Nicaragua August 1987 - August 1988 (Washington, D.C.: August 1988), pages 65-82.

By 1981 up to 2,000 former members of the National Guard were reportedly conducting operations out of Honduras with the support of the Honduran army and financial aid from the U.S. government (South America Central America and the Caribbean 1988, p.513).

Although the United States, Costa Rica, Canada and other countries have received a large number of Nicaraguan immigrants, refugees and asylum claimants since 1979, the sources currently available to the IRBDC do not indicate how many of these were officers of the National Guard of Nicaragua.

Information on recent measures adopted by the Chamorro government including pardons for political prisoners, if not available at your regional Documentation Centre, can be provided upon further request.

Bibliography:

-Right to Survive: Human Rights in Nicaragua, (London: Catholic Institute for International Relations, 1987), pp. 48-49 (attached).

-Nicaragua: Revolutionary Justice (New York/ Washington, D.C.: Lawyers Committee for International Human Rights, 1985), pp. 13-15, 33 (attached).
-South America Central America and the Caribbean 1988 (London: Europa Publications, 1988), p.513.
-Amnesty international Report 1980 (London: Amnesty International, 1980), section on Nicaragua (attached).