AS PART OF THE intensification of the US-backed war against ministration engaged in a vicious campaign concerning the plight of the country's Indian and black people. But Reagan's claims that the Sandinista government maltreats the country's indigenous Living in the Nicaragua's Indian and black mously benefitted from the 1979 revolution.
Roads, schools hospitals have been built.
Land has been distributed.
Trees and crops have been planted. The town Bluefields is projected as becoming Nicaragua's chief port.
Despite such gains, the US found the Atlantic Coast a quite fertile area for its 'contra war' орегаtions. Even santical economic improvements to the region could not rapidly overcome deepseated divisions rooted in a history of discrimination.
al leader of the santional leader of dinista National Liberathe Reagan adpeoples couldn't be further from the truth, writes Jon SilberAtlantic Coast region, peoples have enortien Front out it earlier Toe coo came up against a problem preschica itself in any other part: the ethnic problem'.
Appreciation of this problem gave rise to the 'Autonomy Plan'. When I speak of autonomy' Borge exn lained am not just to respect for their Coolis religion, lang. uage and the right to use the forests and waters, but also to the election of the local administrative authorities Regional Assembly, meaning an advanced autonomy, the only real autonomy for ethnic groups that exists in the Americas.
Autonomy Plan provides tor aerence, micknai security, international policy, all-Nicaraguan economic strategy jurisprudence be responsibility of Nicaraguds centra ment. Within this framework, the Atlantic Coast will govern itself at all levels cultural, omic and political.
Borge explains that the Plan has nationwide scope. The Atlantic region is enriched because it is the direct beneficiary of autonomy. The enriched because ICECIVE the cultural heritage of the Atlantic. Both are enriched through the elimination prejudicies misunderstandings.' The plan, he argues, is a contribution by Nicar. agua to humanity. 'ехpresses in legal terms the revolution's recognition of the marginalisation that the aboriginal communities ethnic groups have suffered The JOI revolution has adopted their historic demands as its own, and promises to HONDURAS •OCOlA ESTELl. "MALAGALP, UMINANULGA PACIFIC OCEAN levels. • Tens of thousands 01 Nicaragualis Have Occ. involved in meetings discussing the autonom process.
The greatest obstacle to the carrying through of the autonomy plan remains the US intervention. Until PUERIU CADCER Northern celaya Southern Lelayc BLUEFIELDS A (ATLANTIC OCEAN • CREOLES The now, some 35 per cent of economic damage produced directly as the result of the 'contra war' has been inflicted on the Atlantic Coast. Substantial amounts of the latest $100 million contra aid from the for continuing this policy of destruction. Thousands of indians remain in Honduras, hostages of the conTwo organisations of the indigenous proples still maintain themse ver under against the revolution But by recognising the just demands of the digenous peoples for through their aulullully policy dialogue through amnesties the Sandinista government has turned the tide in the Atlantic Coast. Each weel dozens of Miskitos an Sumos have returned fron Honduran refugee camps despite the armed conflic of the 34 villages along th Coco nver which divide Nicaragua from Hondura have been resettled.
the national ethnically pluralist, multil ingual culturall pluralist will take timerbu • There hav firml established been qualitiative change in the population's think Peace, return an autonomy have becom the banners of struggle o the peoples of the Atlanti ALMOST THREE YEARS have passed