Updates Archive – C

December 21, 2000

Dear Friends,

With this note I send you my deep thanks for all your efforts to prevent my illegal deportation from Nicaragua.

We know that I am not the important figure in this crisis. In addition to my removal, the clinic as well as all the Cooperative has been closed. There are five ministries of the Nicaraguan Government attacking us. The Government has accused us of serving only members of the Sandinista Party, a legally constituted political entity under the laws of the country. We have further been accused of performing abortions and serving members of the armed guerrilla group Frente Unido Andres Castro -FUAC-, and that I do political proselytizing. Further, the Ministry of Health has said we are illegal and do not have the Ministry's permission to function.

I have answered these accusations through the media as follows:
1. We have patient records for the more than 23,500 women, children and men served in the last 10 years.

2. In the entire municipality of 30,000 persons, there are less than 6,000 members of the Sandinista Party.

3. Abortion is illegal in Nicaragua and in the clinic we have never performed an abortion. Many hundreds of women every year lose their lives as a result of clandestine abortions done by untrained people in unsanitary conditions. On the contrary, we beg women who come to us with undesired pregnancies - !many from rape! - to not seek abortion but to come to us for prenatal care and birthing. We promise the women we will work with them to find a way to care for their babies.

4. We serve everyone that we are able according to need and ask only questions pertaining to their health.

5. For nearly eleven years we have had relations with all levels of the Ministry of Health. During all this time, we have received no criticism of any kind. If we had, we would rush to correct it. Further, we have never been asked to complete any form or make any sort of application. Through the years, we have sent reports of activities of medical-dental delegations to the Ministry of Health.
To the accusation of my doing "political proselytizing", I do give talks to the patients who come to the clinic. I tell them that they have human rights of life and, under the constitution of Nicaragua, the have the right to health. I urge then to use their political rights to seek a government who they believe will work for the poor. I have never urged patients to vote for a particular party.

As you, our supporters know, Mulukuku is one of the poorest areas of the country and abandoned by the Government. With your support we try to meet the health needs of women followed by children. Men are served in emergencies, during delegations and other times as we are able. Through the health work, the Women's Center has developed other programs to provide a more integrated help for women and children.

The attack of the Government against us is part of its program to turn back the clock on advances and the rights of women, to weaken non governmental organizations, and, of course, the Party in power wants to remain in office.

I want the opportunity to remain unavailable to the authorities until all legal, diplomatic, and human rights avenues have been exhausted. When that happens I will contact the U.S. Embassy and a representative will accompany me to the Immigration Services. If I am returned to the United States, I will continue to work for the women and children of the campo.

All of the attention on me is embarrassing. I am only important because I am the agent of all of you who support our work. What is important is the right of the poor women, children and men in the campo to health care and to life. Personally, I just want to return to Mulukuku, my work, my home and animals. I am deeply worried about our patients, especially the 45 women with cancer and pre-cancer whom we are treating as well as the 200 malnourished children in the soy nutrition program.

Again, dear friends, our deep thanks for your support. We of the Maria Luisa Ortiz Women's Center and Cooperative send our love and prayer for a most blessed Christmas and a New Year of justice and health for the poor and peace for all.

Abrazos fuertes.

Dorothy Granada

December 19, 2000

Dear Friends and Supporters of Dorothy Granada,

We are sending a quick update and a sample Letter to the Editor, for your use as you see fit.

UPDATE:

· We have a web site! We thank Daniel Zwickel for creating a web site for us: http://www.PeaceHost.net/Dorothy. [Please give out the correct URL. The PeaceHost part is not case-sensative, but the name "Dorothy" IS. KPFA didn't make that very clear, so remember: Capital "D"! as in –Daniel.] All of our updates are now posted here. Please check for additional information in the next few days.

· Tomorrow, December 20, a press conference will be held with the Women's Movement in Nicaragua. We have sent a message of support to be read there.

· On Thursday, December 21, the Appellate Court will hear the case. There will be a vigil outside the offices of the Appellate Court as the hearing takes place. ***ACTION*** PLEASE FAX TO DR. ENRIQUE CHAVARRIA, PRESIDENTE DE LA SALA PENAL OF THE APPELLATE COURT, 011-505-267-4498.

· Newspaper stories are appearing around the country, radio programs are picking up the story, and more members of Congress are signing on. GOOD WORK!

· Dorothy told us today that the U.S. State Department made a public statement of support for her. We are assured that pressure on the Ambassador is truly effective in giving him the necessary clout to negotiate with the Nicaraguan government.

ACTION

· See above request for faxes of support to the judge in the appellate court. This action is especially necessary prior to Thursday's hearing. Ask the judge to insure a fair hearing for Dorothy Granada and a fair verdict for the people of Mulukuku.

· We are providing a sample letter to the editor that you can modify and send to your local newspapers:

Sample Letter to the Editor

DATE

To the Editor:

An important human rights and human-interest story concerning the threatened deportation of Dorothy Granada, a 70-year-old RN from the U.S, is unfolding in Nicaragua. While the story has been picked up by the Associated Press and reported in print and on radio, several of these accounts contain false accusations and information and only scratch the surface of the international importance of this story to those interested in women's rights and human rights in Latin America.

I urge you to investigate and report this story accurately. Dorothy is respected worldwide for her work in Latin America and her dedication to nonviolence and reconciliation. Many who know her believe that her efforts to provide medical care to the poor in a remote and impoverished region of Nicaragua are worthy of a Nobel peace prize nomination. The government's recent closure of the clinic Dorothy founded ten years ago anguishes Dorothy and her supporters and persecutes the people of Mulukuku, Nicaragua.

I am enclosing a copy of a recent press release regarding this story, which includes contact information. Your coverage will not only help to secure the safety of Ms. Granada and the people of Mulukuku but will also help to inform the public about these activities of the Nicaraguan government.

Name
Address
Phone Number

(Editorial note again: The C.C. Times has a limit of 200 words. That will vary from paper to paper, but I'll ask Jill if she might provide samples of 200 words or less. I'll post whatever she comes up with.)

Joan MacIntyre and I met with a member of Congresswoman Barbara Lee's staff regarding the attacks on Dorothy Granada and her work in Nicaragua. He would like to have a list of constituents who support Dorothy, names, addresses and if possible email addresses. Some of you are actively in support of Dorothy and the Women's Clinic in Mulukuku. We hop you can take advantage of this additional opportunity to express your support.

Barbara Lee has written the consulate in Nicaragua and we have now asked her to wrtie a dear colleague letter and try to get Boxer and Pete Stark and others of her collegues behind this.

We would like to use your name and address if you are in Barbara Lee's district in Joan's letter to her.

We don't want to use your name without your permission - many of you had already given Joan permission but for the rest of you .......

In case anyone has not heard about this ...... Dorothy Granada has worked in Mulukuku in rural central Nicaragua running a women's clinic and cooperative for the past 11 years. The present government of Nicaragua is in a weakened position and is cracking down on NGO's and places like this clinic - accusing them of being subverisve and anti government (not new news for governments to find people who work with the poor subversive!!!).

They have an order for Dorothy's arrest (she is 70 and in hiding) and want to deport her. We have been trying to mobolize folks especially senators and congress people. Some of you might write Pete Stark.

So if you live in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville or Albany and we can use your name - let Joan know at JMMMMac@pacbell.net

Please forward,
Carolyn Scarr

SUPPORT DOROTHY GRANADA AND THE WOMEN'S CLINIC IN MULUKUKU, NICARAGUA

An Update on the News and Action Alert
December 18, 2000

Dear Friends and Supporters of Dorothy Granada and the Women's Clinic of Mulukuku, We are writing with today's update and a reminder of actions you can take to help.

UPDATE

· Dorothy Granada remains in hiding. But she is well and her spirits are good. She even reported that she was in possession of some chocolate, one of her favorite vices. She is very impressed and extremely thankful for all the support that is being generated in the United States. She sends her love and gratitude to all and humbly asks that we keep it up. An interview with Dorothy appeared in Monday's La Prensa some of which was also carried in an AP Wire story Monday (see Media, below).

· This weekend, the Human Rights Commission of the National Assembly sent investigators to Mulukuku to hear testimony about Dorothy and the health clinic. Clinic patients tearfully explained that Dorothy saved their lives. An anonymous worker at the government health center acknowledged the lack of services there, saying that the women at the health clinic helped them by providing transportation to hospitals, offering medicines, and taking part in popular health campaigns.

· On Sunday, hundreds of people marched in Mulukuku in support of the good work of Dorothy Granada and the clinic. Their march, and the visit of the Human Rights Commission, were front page news in Monday's Nuevo Diario and La Prensa, which actually had four related articles (see Media, below).

· The Human Rights Commissioner declared that the clinic was legally licensed and that he would help to further strengthen its legal status. He has not yet issued his formal recommendations to the government but according to press reports, he was moved by the emotional testimony of many citizens of different political stripes in Mulukuku.

· Liberal party officials from the region, however, continued to charge Dorothy Granada and the clinic with performing abortions and providing services to a left wing militia. These charges were fabricated only late last week by the Aleman government, but seem to have captured the imagination of the Associated Press and the various newspapers who rely on AP.

· The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has now joined the fight against the Cooperative and Dorothy. They are threatening to close down the carpentry workshop, another project of the Cooperative, on the grounds that it "commercializes and traffics in illegal wood." Cooperative members deny the charges.

· That makes five cabinet level ministries of the Aleman government who have joined the attacks on Dorothy: the ministers of the Interior (Gobernacion), Immigration and Naturalization, Health, Labor and now the ministry of the Environment. One of four articles in Monday's La Prensa is headlined, "The Entire State against Dorothy." The fact that the Aleman government would spend its time and energy daily bringing yet more outrageous charges and daily bringing out new ministers to attack Dorothy and the clinic is certainly not a good sign. It would seem to indicate that they are committed to defending their actions against Dorothy and the women's coop and clinic.

MORE SUPPORT

· Amnesty International sent out an Action Alert on Dec. 15 from their London office, referring people back to us for more information.

· Many calls and faxes continue to flow to U.S. and Nicaraguan government officials. Congressional offices continue to hear from their constituents.

· Several new members of Congress have been convinced to contact the U.S. and Nicaraguan governments. There are now at least four Senators and at least six Representatives who have taken some action. They are Senators Max Baucus of Montana, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, and Representatives Sam Farr of California, Brian Baird of Washington, Darlene Hooley of Oregon, Tom Allen of Maine, and Ron Kind of Wisconsin. Several other members of Congress are poised to take action.

· The Nicaragua Network circulated a letter which 24 organizations signed and then sent it last Friday to Peter Romero, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, United States Department of State, whom we are adding to our emergency response contact list below.

· The Church of Brethren in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania and the Friends Meeting in Eugene, Oregon each sent support letters signed by many of their members. The plight of Dorothy and the human rights crisis in Nicaragua was discussed in several churches around the U.S.

MEDIA

· Nicaraguan newspapers continued to provide major coverage, with four related stories in La Prensa and two in El Nuevo Diario.

La Prensa, Dec. 18

Large Story on Mulukuku visit of Nicaragua's Human Rights Commissioner (El Nuevo Diario), Dec. 18

Interview with Dr. Vilma Nuņez concerning attack on NGOs (Other Article).

· Another Spanish language article appeared in La Prensa Latina on Dec. 18.

· Another AP wire story appeared this weekend (the third) apparently prompted by our press release. It focused on the Nicaraguan judge's annulment of the government's order rescinding Dorothy's permanent residency status in Nicaragua, and therefore of its attempt to deport her.

· An AP wire story appeared on Monday, Dec. 18, with some of the interview with Dorothy Granada printed that same day in La Prensa.

· We have heard of stories which have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Houston Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the San Jose Mercury News, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and newspapers in Flagstaff, Arizona and Salt Lake City and in Oregon. Please let us know if you have seen this story in other media. Most, but not all, of these articles are AP wire stories.

· The Santa Cruz Sentinel published its second front page article in two days in its Sunday edition, quoting extensively from Jill Winegardner.

· KPFA, the Pacifica radio station in Berkeley, broadcast interviews with Jill on its Friday and Saturday evening news programs and followed up with another story on Monday.

· WomenNet posted our press release on their website at InterGlobal Communications (IGC). Look on the home page at www.igc.org.

· Eloquent letters were written to the Houston Chronicle by William R. Zambon, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Galveston, Texas and by Bette Cowan, a Galveston nurse. The Presbyterian Church has sent medical teams to Mulukuku, and Bette Cowan, a nurse, has visited many times. Their letters paint a vivid picture of the reality of life in rural Nicaragua and of the work of the clinic in Mulukuku. No word yet on whether the letters were published by the Houston Chronicle but they are attached in a Word file called "Letters."

ACTION

· One new action we can take is to write letters to the editor. Depending on the local circumstances, we can thank them for covering the story or ask that they cover it. Either way, try to get the facts of this crisis into the letter and make it clear why you personally feel it is important to take a stand in favor of the human rights of Nicaraguans.

· Contribute to Dorothy Granada's emergency action fund. Legal bills, phone bills and other necessary expenses are running to several thousands dollars. Please help by sending a tax-deductible donation. Make checks out to "St. Boniface Episcopal Church," Dorothy's longtime fiscal sponsor, and write "Dorothy emergency funds" in the memo. Mail donations to The Women's Empowerment Network, 309 Cedar, PMB 547, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. A more detailed fund appeal will be coming to you in a separate email. Please share that appeal with others who may wish to help.

· Continue doing what you have been doing so well. The faxes to representatives of the governments of the United States and Nicaragua are definitely having an impact. The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Managua are definitely on the case, but it will only help if they continue to receive expressions of concern from you. Please encourage other individuals and organizations to do the same. Contact numbers are listed below.

· For several days people have been telling us that President Aleman's fax number is busy (has anybody got through?). Also, as was noted in the last update, the emails for Nicaraguan government ministers have all been bouncing back. If you can't get through directly to Aleman, we recommend sending a fax to him c/o of the Nicaraguan Embassy in Washington, DC.

· We need to get more Congresspeople involved. Keep up your efforts on that front. Also, members of Congress who have done something might be asked to do more. Ask them to sign a letter to other members of Congress, or to join you in a press conference. Ask them what else they think could be done. This will help get broader media coverage and create more pressure on the U.S. and Nicaraguan governments to do the right thing.

CONTACT NUMBERS

The Honorable Alfonso Ortega, Ambassador
Embassy of Nicaragua
1627 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Telephone: (202) 939-6570
Fax: (202) 939-6542

Peter Romero
Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
United States Department of State
Fax: (202) 647-0791

U.S. Ambassador Oliver Garza at the U.S. Embassy in Managua
Tel: 011-505-266-6010
Fax: 011-505-266-3865
E-mail: garzaop@amemb.org.ni

President Arnoldo Aleman
Fax: 011-505-228-7911

Ingeniero Jose Bosco Marenco Cardenal, Ministro de Gobernacion (Interior)
Fax: 011-505-222-7778

Licenciada Mariangeles Castellon, Ministra de Salud (Health)
Fax: 011-505-289-7671

Dr. Benjamin Perez Fonseca, Procurador de Derechos Humanos (Human Rights)
Fax: 011-505-266-4141

Dr. Enrique Chavarria, Presidente de la Sala Penal # del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Managua (Appellate Court)
Fax: 011-505-267-4498

Please stay in touch with us and let us know of your progress and/or send us copies by email or fax of your letters.

Thanks for all your continuing efforts. What we are doing actually means quite a lot to many Nicaraguans. They know they are not alone.

Human Rights and Dignity for all,

Jill Winegardner and Gerry Condon
Santa Cruz Support Committee for Dorothy Granada
and the Women's Clinic in Mulukuku
(Women's Empowerment Network)
Tel/fax: 831-768-7004
E-mail: Jill Winegardner

Today and yesterday there were interviews about Dorothy on Flashpoint, the KPFA program that comes on at 5:00 p.m. I was interviewed yesterday and Dorothy was on today. These shows are available to be downloaded on the Internet.

Also, she did a great interview for The World with Lisa Mullins today (PRI sydicated radio show). Don't know if that's available.

And last, here is the Dec. 16 Update.

SUPPORT DOROTHY GRANADA AND THE WOMEN'S CLINIC IN MULUKUKU, NICARAGUA

An Update on the News and Action Alert
December 16, 2000
The latest news: · U.S. nurse and health promoter Dorothy Granada is continuing her struggle to remain in Nicaragua. The Nicaraguan media is focusing on the efforts of the people of Mulukuku to reopen the health clinic which Dorothy has directed for 11 years. A Nicaraguan judge has ruled that the government has acted illegally in its attempts to deport Dorothy Granada. Human rights leaders in Nicaragua are nevertheless calling for stepped up pressure on the Nicaraguan government, saying they cannot be trusted to obey the judge's directive, and there is also a chance it could be overturned by an appeals court.

· More U.S. Senators and Representatives are responding to this crisis as a result of the many calls they are receiving from their constituents. We will provide a complete list of these later this weekend.

· U.S. media are picking up on the story, as the Knight Ridder News Service has distributed the story from the Miami Herald. It has been picked up by the Salt Lake City Tribune, the San Jose Mercury News, and probably others (Dec. 15, 2000). For the second day in a row, the story is on the AP wire, also available at www.foxnews.com, with the Dec. 15 story stating that Dorothy Granada is "reportedly extremely ill." The Nicaraguan papers have been saying this for several days, but they tend to be a bit sensationalistic, and our contacts with Dorothy indicate that she is fine. Please do not spread the word that she is ill.

· The headline in Saturday's (12/16/00) El Nuevo Diario blares "Guerra a los ONGs" (War on the NGOs), and describes the government's attack on non governmental organizations in general, which the right wing government apparently see as part of the base for Sandinismo. This is the context for the attacks on the Women's Clinic in Mulukuku.

· Also in Saturday's El Nuevo Diario and La Prensa are moving interviews with the people of Mulukuku, who are greatly saddened by the closing of their only health clinic. From other sources we are told that there is a 24-hour vigil being held by clinic supporters in Mulukuku. We are sending a message of solidarity to them to inform them how much support they have in the U.S.

See La Prensa and El Nuevo Diario

· Our latest press release, sent out last night (12/15/00) is included as an attachment. It includes statements from the Nicaraguan judge who has ruled the government's actions against Dorothy to be illegal. It also includes statements from Dr. Vilma Nuņez, president of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights, warning that the government may not abide by the judge's orders and calling for further pressure on the Nicaraguan government directly (see below). We encourage you to send this press release to any media contacts you may have. If you cannot open this an attachment, please let us know and we will send it to you as email text.

· We have photographs of Dorothy Granada which we can email to you at your request.

Recommended Actions:

· Also included as an attachment is a letter directed to us from Dr. Vilma Nuņez, president of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights, which details the actions of the Nicaraguan government and the courts in Dorothy's case. Dr. Nunez also gives a strong motivation for Dorothy's supporters to call the Nicaraguan government directly. Her letter is in Spanish. We hope to have it translated into English and forwarded to you before the weekend is over.

· It is important in our fax letters to Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman and other government officials to emphasize not only our support for Dorothy's right to continue her work in Nicaragua, but also for the Women's Clinic in Mulukuku to be reopened, and for the government to end its attempts to close down non governmental organizations, many of which are providing vital services to Nicaragua's poor.

· The previous action alert included email addresses for several Nicaraguan government ministers. Many people have told us that these email addresses are not working. So we advise you not to email messages unless we are able to get some new email addresses.

· The fax numbers for President Aleman and his ministers are again included below. We are adding the address, phone and fax numbers for the Nicaraguan Embassy in Washington, DC., a good target for our efforts, as Ambassador Ortega is reported to be a close friend of Arnoldo Aleman. Here are those numbers:

[Contact numbers deleted as they appear in every Update.] Please stay in touch with us and let us know of your progress and/or send us copies by email or fax of your letters.

Thanks for all your incredible work. Obviously you know how important it is. And it is definitely making a difference.

Human Rights and Dignity for all,

Jill Winegardner and Gerry Condon
Santa Cruz Support Committee for Dorothy Granada
and the Women's Clinic in Mulukuku
(Women's Empowerment Network)
Tel/fax: 831-768-7004
E-mail: jwinegardner@igc.org

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