WHAT’S SO FUNNY ABOUT
PEACE, LOVE AND NICARAGUA?

.Nicaragua - how best to testify without coming on like a shotgun humanitarian? Fifteen years after the Sandinista revolution, it remains excruciatingly obvious that the country still hurts. Not so much because of one particular issue - although most will succinctly lay blame upon the mantle of economics - but because of an amalgamation of awesome pride.

The sort of pride Bono used to sing about before he started singing about flies. Pride free of pre-ordained, inconsequential horse-shit. Pride that refuses to cow-down to the powers that be. Pride, not only in the name of love, but in the name of freedom and liberty for all. Qualities the US pertain to live by, but would sell the gurus of rightdom down the river for, if it truly meant as such.

Following pride is the country's inner psyche. Fifteen years of war, economic chaos, and increasing social polarisation has done little to diminish Nicaragua’s passion, humour and dignity. Though the present generation has lived through a decade and a half of terror and destruction, it's hard to argue that their ancestors had it any easier. From 1502, the year of Columbus’ discovery of the territory to the present, the Nicaraguan experience has featured invasions, civil wars, grinding poverty and devastating natural disasters. No wonder the mists of grief have remained, and by some accounts, nearly half the population are poets.

Fans of the Clash may recall the band's superb triple album Sandinista (1980). The name comes from Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (Sandinista National Liberation Front), or FSLN; an organisation founded in 1961 by Carlos Fonseca Amador, to fight against the dictatorship of Luis Somoza Debayle. A dictatorship that included the appropriation of Nicaragua's prime property and commercial assets, as well as the torture and killing of anyone who so much as questioned or didn't agree with its policy. For example, in 1972, his younger brother Anastasio Somoza Debayle pocketed most of the relief money that poured into the country following the earthquake that levelled the capital Managua and left 300,000 homeless.

By capturing the nation's imagination in 1978 with a daring takeover of the 1,000 member National Assembly, the Sandinistas provoked Somoza's National Guard into the indiscriminate bombing of Nicaragua's major cities. Things came to a head when in June 1979, National Guard soldiers executed ABC newsman Bill Stewart in downtown Managua. The killing was filmed and broadcast into American homes, thus procuring US public sympathy for the Sandinista cause. Isolated and defeated, Somoza fled to Miami taking with him his father's coffin and the national treasury. Two days later on July 19, the FSLN marched victoriously into Managua. Solidifying a marriage of religion and rebellion that blended into ‘La Mistica Sandinista,’ the magical elan that had helped the population transcend its fears and overcome the fierce and brutal dictatorship.

The costs of victory however, were severe - tens of thousands dead or wounded, a bankrupt treasury, and the country’s economy and infrastructure in ruins. If this weren't bad enough, Ronald Reagan then stepped into the White House. Trying to decipher the amount of human suffering Ronald Reagan wrought on Nicaraguan society isn't easy; especially when one considers he was twice voted into office on a tidal wave of vacuous and lie riddled policy.

Still, Americans will do anything for Latin America except read about it and at the vanguard of such blatant naivety was (and most probably still is) Ronald Reagan. A president who not only embraced the morality of right wing fundamentalism, but whose speech writers at the time, produced extraordinary levels of hyperbole. House speaker Tip O'Neill even once said that for Reagan: ‘’it was more important to pay Nicaraguans to kill than to pay Americans to work.’’

Why? Because Reagan was obsessed with the notion that Nicaragua - which is roughly the size of North Carolina - was a threat to US security. This might explain why in 1983, Congress openly authorised $24 million to the CIA alone, to carry out military and destabilising activities against Nicaragua’s Sandinista government. Led by Daniel Ortega, the FSLN could do little to deter the CIA’s ‘’low-intensity conflict.’’ A concept, which in essence means a powerful and wealthy country expends a small amount of resources and energy to engage the government of a small and poor country, which has to expend enormous resources and spill much blood to counter the aggression.

From tiny villages like San Francisco del Norte to San Jose de Bocay, to cities like Ocotal and Jinotega, this low-intensity U.S. effort became a major fact of Nicaraguan life. Brother fought brother, cousin against cousin, neighbour verses neighbour. Part of the reason being, CIA recruiters among the rural peasantry offered what appeared to be enormous amounts of money to teenagers. A US $50 bill looked like a million. Plus, CIA recruiters offered a spanking new uniform and a powerful automatic weapon - tricks that have seduced many a young man to fight many a futile war ever since God knows when.

Thus, the birth of the Contras and the eventual killing of 30,000 Nicaraguan people (including civilians). Fuckin harrowing, pointless and pathetic or what? Trickle down politics? Bollocks. More like trickle down tragedy.

Following on from pride and the country's inner psyche, is the current economy which sucks even more than Oliver North opening his mouth. Sound depressing? It is, but its flip side is the complete opposite.

For instance, it's nigh impossible to experience the same amount of community values in the U.S. that are so evidently on display throughout Nicaragua. As for those family values George Bush so myopically espoused in 1992, well they're on high octane, full-throttle truth alert throughout the country also. So how come the most indebted low-income country in the world has some of the merits that the richest and most powerful country in the world can only dream of? Perhaps it’s in part due to a severe lack of distraction. There's no MTV, there's no 7-11, there’s no 501s, no cocaine, no crack, no Corvettes, no Wonderbras, no jerk-off numbers...

By Toyota pick-up truck, three and a half hours along the Pan-American Highway from Managua, lies the aforementioned northern town of Ocotal. It’s where I spent the majority of my time. Its population is approx. 35,000; its situation is deep within the mountainous terrain of Nueva Segovia; and its politicisation is predominantly Sandinista.

By heavily laden former Russian Army bus, Ocotal is five hours from Managua. Five frustrating hours of madness that can only be compared to festering in the Holland Tunnel for two months. No big deal by Nicaraguan standards really, as comfort is secondary to getting there. Comfort being the operative word, as people, roosters, back-packs, bananas, dogs, bits of engine, bits of church steeple and all kinds of lascivious fruits find their way on board (that's inside, outside, as well as on the roof of the bus). So as the mountainous ascent begins, so too does the fun, as all and sundry converge together to form a roller-coaster of discomfort. A (sticky) terrarium that yelps and hollers at regular intervals, as the bus swivels an inch or two from a mere 1,000 foot drop to the right.

By express, the first stop is Esteli, replete with garrison, prison, picturesque surroundings and poverty. Second stop is Somoto, which can only boast the latter; while Ocotal is the third and last major town along the highway before reaching Las Manos, a kind of checkpoint Charlie with Honduras. The town’s geographical location - along with the town of Jalapa to the north/east - made it a prime Contra target throughout the eighties. This may partially explain its present situation -worn and town, resourceful and ambitious, quietly proud yet economically devastated. A walk along any of its unpaved streets (except for the main thoroughfare) and this is immediately apparent. With 65% plus unemployment, this is understandable, as is the occasional despondency that seeps into its psyche.

So why on earth come to Ocotal? Well there are a number of reasons: it's earthy, it's friendly, it's high on emotion, low on crime, picturesque, filled with history and has a dignity and dynamism that draws foreign development workers in droves.

In a way, it's hard to explain. It's like trying to recount what's so great about Venice. Okay, so there's all the obvious stuff like its history, St. Marks and the Bridge Of Sighs etc. From an an architectural vantage, Ocotal clearly pales in comparison, but by the same token, it has another kind of elegance; good wholesome, undiluted, down-to-earth, non-biased reality. The sort of which all of us need to see and feel, endure and behold from time to time. Free of what’s hip, what’s in, what’s out, what happened at Woodstock and how much tip to leave.

Moreover, Ocotal’s true claim to fame, is its residents once gave shelter to Nicaragua's most enduring figure, Augusto Sandino. Sandino is to Nicaragua what JFK is to the US, the difference being, Sandino was fighting to preserve his country's independence. During their second occupation of Nicaragua in 1927, US marines encountered fierce resistance from Sandino led guerrillas. The ‘’crazy little army,’’ as U.S. press dubbed Sandino’s forces, fought a brutal war with the marines over the next six years, and his guerrilla tactics made outright U.S. victory impossible. Taking heavy losses in a war that was increasingly unpopular back home, the marines withdrew in 1935, leaving behind a well-armed and well-equipped army. Hence, the National Guard under the command of screaming dirtbag Anastasio Somoza Garcia.

The withdrawal convinced Sandino to lay down his arms, and a year later Somoza invited Sandino for talks in Managua. As Sandino left the meeting, Somoza ordered his troops t ambush the rebel leader and kill him. Sandino’s death at the hands of Somoza, as well as his resistance to US occupation, turned him into a romantic martyr, which he has remained to this very day. There isn’t a single town or hamlet throughout the entire country that doesn’t boast a wall emblazoned with Sandino graffito.

Ocotal is no exception.

Suffice to say, the town paid dearly for its kindness by being bombed. The year was 1927, thus ensuring its place in the history books by being the first town in the western hemisphere to suffer military bombardment from the air.

Generally speaking, Nicaragua can break your heart every twenty minutes. Repeat, every twenty minutes. The reason being, it’s a nation very much still in need of the basic necessities of everyday life. Where middle America’s Joe ‘Never Satisfied’ is crest fallen because he can’t decide between a pair of Nike or Reebok, his Nicaraguan counterpart decides between beans and rice.

Thus, it’s the high-tech, Beavis & Butthead induced ‘have alls,’ verses the no-tech, Daniel Ortega influenced ‘have nots;’ with the ‘have nots’ able to smile no-matter what the outcome. And it's this smile that breaks the heart, especially among the young (50% of the population is under 15). From Managua to Jalapa, the innocence of smiling could quite easily become a Nicaraguan pastime. Its trajectory is immediate and its effect, a switchblade of realisation.

A realisation powerful enough to question one’s own beliefs and dependency upon crass materialism.

Naturally, there's bound to be some irony in all of this which is, there's no real stress in Nicaragua. Where Wall Street junkies drop dead like fleas because they failed to clinch the last big deal, most Nicaraguans take life on their stride. After all, why shouldn't they? They've been shot, beaten, tortured, maimed, starved, abused, and shackled to depravation for the best part of their entire lives. Therefore, it just wouldn't make sense for the average campesino to get cancer of the career move, simply because his neighbour's mule happens to have a lighter trot than his. He's actually be happy for his neighbour (and the mule), an attribute that couldn't really be applied to the Beamer Shrinksters of ‘Affluent Row.’

When the Sandinistas ousted the Somoza dictatorship in 1979, both Esteli and Ocotal were liberated on July 16. So it should only make sense that if FSLN General Secretary Daniel Ortega is going to hold political rallys (to commemorate the 15th Anniversary), he should visit Ocotal. This he did by combining a visit to Jalapa and Ocotal on July 17.

With a dishevelled entourage of bodyguards that bore a remarkable resemblance to Earth, Wind & Fire, Ortega drove himself to Ocotal’s Parque Central (the main square), where he clamoured upon a truck to await his oratorical turn. Introduced by way of a number of campesino folk groups, Ortega listened attentively. While doing so, he received countless notes from members of the audience, as well as countless children who’d deposit themselves on a knee or a bit of floor space.

Most of the folk outfits consisted of 37 eager guitar players and an overwhelmed bass player plucking a stand-up. For the musically inclined, Nicaraguan stand-ups are built out of plywood, have one, two, three or all four strings, boast machine heads the size of the average tumble dryer and are always painted toilet blue - must have something to do with the water! Most of the campesinos were impeccably out of tune, none more so than Los Ortegas - who were reminiscent of early Alarm minus crap rhetoric and amplification.

As dusk beckoned, so too did the crowd, and as the man of the hour (decade) approached the microphone, it became immediately apparent as to why Daniel Ortega is so popular. So vibrant. So bloody necessary. He's the country's definition and guiding light.

Having shed a few pounds, he looks more like Carlos Santana than Carlos Santana, only with 5,000% more charisma. But appearances aside, the man knows how to talk. Where most politicians refer to either tele-prompts or prepared notes - making for a speech that is pedestrian to say the least - Ortega referred to matters of the heart and was prompted by instinct. Listening to the ex-Sandinista President cover an array of subjects that included the (hugely unpopular) draft, education, the Sandinistas mistakes as well as the present Uno government, one couldn't help but feel enlightened.

Moved even.

Following the rally, Ortega was to try and have dinner and return to Managua before Ocotal’s nightly black-out. While doing so, I secured a brief interview which needless to say, continued beyond electrical protocol.

Are you happy with the way things are going in Nicaragua?

‘’Hmm, I feel we are on the forefront of a great future.’’

How do you see the future?

‘’Well there’s a struggle to maintain this present political climate. I’d say employment is a fundamental issue.’’

What will be your main objective to win the next election in 1996?

‘’We, the Sandinistas, are currently working on a national programme; because we consider a government - in order to provide stability - should be a government with liberation as a priority.’’

Some say the only reason Violeta Chamorro became President in 1990, was because she was going to abolish the draft and fight corruption from within. What are your views on these issues?

‘’During the eighties, the draft was necessary, now it's not. So it’s not part of Sandinista policy to reinstate compulsory conscription. Not, that is, unless we have to. So far as corruption is concerned, I believe when you have a help programme, you must first of all help the people organise. Educate those involved and maintain discipline. Otherwise the situation could become a careless one.’’

What do you say to those who have questioned corruption within the Sandinistas?

‘’I would say that one considers the government as the core of corruption, but it has other dimensions and magnitudes. This has to do with the liberal politics of Latin America. But, not only Latin America, also Japan, Europe. There's corruption everywhere. It accompanies liberal politics. Therefore, I would say... the situation of people receiving benefits of some programmes are putting those resources to good use. There may be instances where resources are not properly distributed, but again, the only way to overcome this problem, is by educating the people and instilling discipline.

‘’The pressures are very strong, the result of which can occasionally be the mishandling of resources, which in turn, can lead to unemployment. What's needed is a firm political party with an administration that will provide certain guarantees, conveniences and security.’’

Finally, how would you describe Nicaragua 15 years on from the Sandinista revolution?

"A profound difference to what it was. Nicaragua is a nation with an irreversible character, and today, we face the possibility of gaining much strength and many rights."



One might hasten to add that 15 years on from the revolution, and Nicaragua still belongs to its people. Hence, its spirit, its dignity, its future; all of which is a lot more than can be said for the out-of control and morally bankrupt United States.

Nicaragua - how best to testify without coming on like a shotgun humanitarian?

Very poor. Very young. Very beautiful. Very forgiving. Very necessary.

Necessary because it makes one realise just how great life can sometimes be.