----- Original Message -----
From: Helen Dixon
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 12:49 AM
Subject: ANTI ABORTION LAW RAILROADED BY NIC. PRESIDENT
This action has now become even more urgent as President Enrique Bolaños hopes to skip the Justice Commission and send the proposal to outlaw any form of abortion directly to the national assembly plenary session with NO PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, much less consultation with women-s organisations.
Below are two blocks of information and telephoe numbers for faxes and here is an email for the justice comission.
Please send a letter of protest with copy to the womens movement.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-------- Mensaje original --------
Asunto: Mensaje en ingles
Fecha: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 07:21:27 -0600
De: Ana Maria Pizarro <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Para: Helen Dixon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
CC: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Referencias: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
October 5, 2006 Today, after a "pro life" march, held by the leaders of the Catholic and Evangelical Church, supported by all the leaders of the right-wing political parties, including the Sandinista Front, big business and representatives from the richest families in the country, the religious leaders presented a proposal to the Board of Directors of the National Assembly to completely criminalize Therapeutic Abortion. The initiative would set up a 20-year prison sentence for anyone who induces the death of a person before being born, from conception until birth, with the penalty for the health official being 20 years of prohibition from practicing medicine and the final closure of the establishment where the abortion was performed, extending to 30 years if the woman dies.The Board of Directors of the Assembly essentially offered the religious religious leaders the choice of what option they wanted - if they prefer to eliminate Art. 165 of the Penal Code currently in force (that has permitted Therapeutic Abortion for more than 130 years), which they can decide in 2 or 3 weeks, or if they prefer to introduce the proposal into the discussion of the new Penal Code, which would delay it for about 2 years. Logically, the religious leaders chose the "fast route", which means that already this afternoon they introduced the proposal and they will address it in the coming weeks. The Sandinista Front, the Liberal Constitutionalist Party and other parties offered the religious leaders the unanimous vote of their parliamentary representatives to approve this initiative, in return for which Therapeutic Abortion will be eliminated from the Code in the coming weeks, before the the November 5 elections. Within a few hours of hearing this news, the candidate for the Sandinista Reorganization Movement (MRS), Edmundo Jarquin, in a TV spot, declared himself in favor of maintaining Therapeutic Abortion in the Penal Code, and committed himself to fight for the live of women. With this party, the Women's Autonomous Movement has signed a political agreement of 5 points, which include respect for a secular State, women's rights, the fight against domestic violence, the democratization of the country, and the fight against corruption, among others. >From the Women's Autonomous Movement today, we announced this initiative in a press conference and called for a protest in front of the National Assembly on Tuesday, October 10, where women from all the country's departments (regions) and solidarity associations of men, youth, and professionals will participate. We are mobilized and we hope from you an urgent pronouncement that strengthens our demands, which you may send to the Nicaragua Women's Autonomous Movement ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). Sincerely, Ana Maria Pizarro Consejo Consultivo de la RSMLAC - SI MujerTo support nicaraguan women to defend their rights in this emergency situation. See below for other kinds of actions.
Please send faxed letters to the Executive of the National Assembly and the Justice Comission
with a copy to the women's movement: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Presidencia Junta Directiva (President of Executive) (505) 228-3030 Eduardo Gomez
Primera vicepresidencia (First Vice-president) (505) 228-3114 René Nuñez Téllez
Segunda vicepresidencia (Second VP) (505) 228-5076 Guillermo Osorno
3ra vicepresidencia (3rd VP) (505) 228-4086 Orlando Tardencilla
1ra Secretaría (505) 228-5789 María Auxiliadora Alemán Zeas
2da Secretaría (505) 222-5791 Eduardo Mena
3ra Secretaría (505) 222-5661 José Figueroa
Comisión Justicia (Justice Comission) ( 505) 228-2107 Noel Pereira Majano (President)
Address for written letters to above:
Asamblea Nacional de Nicaragua
Avenida Bolivar, Managua
Nicaragua
with copies to:
Movimiento Autonomo de Mujeres:
Apartado Postal 2109 - Correo Central
Managua, Nicaragua
BEGINNING OF A NEW INQUISITION IN NICARAGUA
________________________________________________________________
URGENT ACTION FOR WOMENS HUMAN RIGHTS
As part of the electoral campaign, the Frente Sandinista under the leadership of ex-revolutionary Daniel Ortega and his Somocist vice presidential candidate, along with other right wing parties (PLC, ALN) have formed an alliance with the Vatican and its catholic hierarchy and some evangelical churches to rush through a law (in 10 days!!!) to outlaw any form of abortion.
This violates established legal process and the secular constitution of the republic as well as basic human rights. It will roll back rights established in a law allowing for therapuetic abortion that has existed since 1891.
The only party openly in favour of guaranteeing womens rights and the therapeutic abortion law is the MRS (Movement for Sandinista Renewal) who has signed an alliance with the Autonomous Women's Movement.
If the new law passes (probable, due to the correlation of forces in the present National Assembly) it means a death sentence for poor women with pregnancies that threaten their lives and torture for raped women, or any woman who can`t or doesn't want to go ahead with an unwanted/unplanned pregnancy for her health or because of problems with the fetus.
It will also be an excuse for political persecution against the women's movement and the medical profession if one of these parties wins the election. Women and doctors involved in abortion could face up to 30 years in prison and it will be illegal to promote the right to an abortion, as it will be encouraging a "crime".
This is a flagrant violation of women's right to life, to health, to make decision over own own lives. It is also form of institutionalized torture and paves the way for dictatorial measures that violate of our rights as nicaraguan citizens to free speech and free association, men and women alike. We are facing a new inquisition. Behind this is also the the repression of sexual rights which is also on the agenda of religious fundamentalist and their machista and corrupt allies in the political arena.
If you are interested in supporting us to fight this situation, you can help in the following ways:
- Organise protests in front of the Nicaraguan Embassies.
Talk to the people in the media and encourage them to cover this situation. Prepare letters addressed to the National Assembly (I will send addresses a.s.a.p.) Pass this message along to other women and men who believe in human rights, people involved in social organizations or movements, artists, progressive churches, students, union affiliates and especially womens organizations and medical associations. Lobby human rights organizations, development agencies, local and national politicians in your country, your governments, the European Parliament and the United Nations to pressure the Nicaraguan National Assembly (parliament) not to roll back our human rightswith such a draconian and medieval law and to stop political persecution. Please inform us of your actions in order to make visible support for our rights in the national media here.
We also need your help to prevent an electoral fraud
which may turn this fundamentalist alliance into a new dictatorship in Nicaragua.
Thankyou for your solidarity.
Autonomous Women's Movements - (MAM) - Movimiento Autonomo de Mujeres
Michael A. Lebowitz
Professor Emeritus
Economics Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5A 1S6
Currently based in Venezuela.
NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBERS
Can be reached at
Residencias Anauco Suites
Departamento 601
Parque Central, Zona Postal 1010, Oficina 1
Caracas, Venezuela
(58-212) 573-6333, 571-1520, 571-3820 (or hotel cell:
0412-200-7540)
fax: (58-212) 573-7724
