VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1543/01 1692322
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 182322Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0583
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001543 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN CORNFORTH AND SCHIFFER, DRL FOR MAGGIO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2017 
TAGS: ELAB EAID KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL NU
SUBJECT: CIVIL SOCIETY UNDER SIEGE, CLAMOURING FOR 
ASSISTANCE 
 
REF: A. MANAGUA 893 
     ¶B. MANAGUA 1350 
 
Classified By: Charge Peter Brennan for reasons 1.4(B,D) 
 
¶1.  (C) Over the past 2-3 months, the political section has 
received over a dozen proposals from civil society 
organizations concentrated in three areas: human rights 
defense, organized labor, and indigenous (Miskito) groups. 
Each organization claims to oppose President Daniel Ortega 
and seeks financial support to develop, promote, or advance 
democracy or democratic forces in some way.  Feeling isolated 
and threatened, these organizations are reaching out to the 
USG for both assurances and assistance. 
 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶2.  (C) Because our ability to directly fund even the 
smallest projects is extremely limited, post has concentrated 
on trying to identify and facilitate local funding and/or to 
refer proposals to other organizations such as the National 
Endowment for Democracy for funding consideration.  (NOTE: 
Last week NED agreed to give the Nicaraguan Permanent 
Commission for Human Rights - featured below - $45,000 as a 
first year grant, $15,000 beyond the normal range of a first 
year grant.  END NOTE.)  Of the many proposals received thus 
far, we have forwarded only the two most promising and, we 
believe, important proposals to DRL and the desk requesting 
assistance (ref A, B). 
 
¶3.  (C) We know that some organizations will shrewdly seek to 
avail themselves of the USG, playing pro-democracy and/or 
anti-Ortega cards, hoping to cash-in on what they perceive as 
the United States' new-found interest in -- and associated 
generosity towards -- Nicaragua.  However, there is no doubt 
that many civil society organizations in these areas face 
real pressure and are genuinely afraid for democracy or at 
least respect for democratic principles. 
 
¶4.  (C) We stress that the proposals we forward to Washington 
represent only the tip of a growing iceberg.  Under the 
current administration, civil society organizations will 
continue to reach out for help.  It is less certain if they 
will continue to reach out to the USG, or even survive in 
some cases, if we fail to provide some assistance.  If this 
happens, we could lose important access points into and 
influence with civil society at a critical juncture.  Local 
democracy funds or some other post-managed funding mechanism 
that would give us access to fast and flexible funds would 
enable us, in a small way, to strategically buttress civil 
society. 
 
Partial List of Funding Requests 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (C) Below is a list of ten projects received by poloffs 
related to developing or reinforcing democracy/democratic 
movements in the face of growing pressure and, in some cases, 
threats from the Ortega government.  While not a complete 
list of the proposals received, it does represent the best 
well-developed proposal ideas. 
 
- Nicaraguan Permanent Commission for Human Rights: proposal 
to continue defending the Miskito genocide case on the 
Atlantic Coast, open departmental offices, and continue 
developing database and internal capacities - $500,000 over 2 
years. 
 
- Fundacion Asociacion para la Promocion Comunitaria: 
Proposal to train and provide financing for micro and small 
enterprise development for 200 women in Managua - $365,000 
over 18 months. 
 
- FURCA: Indigenous defense NGO on the Atlantic Coast 
Proposal by indigenous (Miskito) NGO in Nicaragua,s North 
Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) to bring civic education, 
democracy and leadership training to 60  communities - 
$250,000. 
 
- Permanent Workers Congress (CPT): Proposal for labor rights 
workshops for CPT,s 4,800 members on national and 
international labor laws and standards and roles of labor 
unions in democratic societies - $182,900 over 2 years. 
 
- Aikuki Wal: Proposal from indigenous (Miskito) NGO to 
provide leadership and cooperative business management 
 
training to approximately 60 communities in the RAAN - 
$49,000. 
 
- Association of Indigenous Miskito groups: Proposal to 
finance the convocation of a General Assembly (as granted in 
Law 28 - Law of Autonomy) to discuss current political, 
economic, social, and cultural issues affecting the Atlantic 
Coast,s indigenous populations and to re-elect new 
leadership of the YATAMA movement - $18,000. 
 
- Nicaraguan Resistance Party: Proposal to fund radio-based 
civic education programs in the northern departments of 
Jinotega and Matagalpa - $12,000. 
 
- United Teachers Union (USM): Proposal to finance a general 
assembly of 800 members of affiliated syndicates (covered by 
media) to witness the announcement and signing of an 
agreement to formally form USM labor confederation - $9,000. 
 
- Centro de Derechos Humanos, Ciudadanos, y Autonomicos 
(CEDEHCA): Proposal to help out youth in the RAAN - job 
skills, education, etc - $8,000. 
 
- Consejo de Ancianos: Proposal to finance field research to 
record the cases of survivors of the "Red Christmas" exercise 
carried out against the Miskitos in order to write a book - 
$2,000. 
BRENNAN