VZCZCXRO5328
PP RUEHLMC
DE RUEHMU #0415/01 1111711
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211711Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4057
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J2/J3/J5// PRIORITY
RHBVJPX/COMPHIBRON SIX  PRIORITY
RHBPCOM/USNS COMFORT  PRIORITY
RHBPCOM/MEDTRE FAC COMFORT  PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 000415 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN KRAAIMOORE 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, INR/IAA 
DEPT FOR DRL MAGGIO 
DEPT FOR PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM NU
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: MISKITO ELDERS DECLARE "INDEPENDENCE," ELECT NEW LEADERS
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard M. Sanders for reasons 1 .4 (b & d)
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Miskito Council of Elders elected Reverend Hector Williams Padilla as a new "Wihta Tara" (Miskito for "Grand Judge") to be the leader of The Mosquito Coast. Immediately following his election, Williams proclaimed the independence of the Mosquito Coast, urged the formation of an army of ex-Contras, and called for the transition of the existing North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) Regional Government into the hands of the Wihta Tara. While the Mosquito Coast's independence is not at all likely to be recognized by the GON or the international community, the election of new leadership to a politically-independent indigenous organization directly challenges pro-Sandinista YATAMA political leader Brooklyn Rivera (see RefTel). END SUMMARY
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
THREE DAY CONVENTION OF ANCIENTS - RETURN OF THE JUDGE
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2. (C) At the end of a three-day convention held in a 
gymnasium and convoked by the Miskito Council of Elders in 
Bilwi, over 1,000 attendees elected a new "Wihta Tara" 
(Miskito for "Grand Judge") to be the leader of an 
independent Mosquito Coast and to champion indigenous issues, 
neglected by current leaders.   (NOTE: The Mosquito Coast is 
a coastal region of Nicaragua and Honduras that comprises a 
band of lowlands approximately 40 miles wide that skirts the 
Caribbean Sea for about 225 miles.  Even though Columbus 
visited the area in 1502, Europeans had little contact with 
the area until the 17th Century, when buccaneers convinced 
the England to establish a protectorate over the Miskito 
Indians.  The British claim was disputed by Spain, Nicaragua 
and the United States until the matter was finally settled by 
the occupation of the Mosquito Coast by the Nicaraguan 
government and by the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850 between 
Great Britain and the United States. END NOTE) 
 
¶3. (C) The Council of Elders is a group of indigenous 
leaders, primarily of Miskito descent, that regulates, among 
other things, the indigenous lands of Puerto Cabezas.  The 
Council is recognized as an independent indigenous 
organization with the moral authority to convoke a national 
assembly.  During the convention, Miskito and indigenous 
leaders were given opportunities to address the attendees. 
Among the invitees were important Miskito leaders such as 
Osorno "Commandante Blas" Coleman, Brooklyn Rivera, and 
Steadman Fagoth (see RefTel) - of these, only Coleman, a 
strong opponent of the Sandinistas, attended and addressed 
the crowd on Saturday.  On Sunday, April 19, the convention 
ended with the election of Reverend Hector Williams Padilla 
as the new Wihta Tara, along with Stedy Alvarado, as the 
Minor Judge, and the Reverend Jimmy Webster, as Minister 
Counselor.  According to our contacts, the last time a Wihta 
Tara led the Mosquito Coast was in 1894, prior a U.S.-led 
occupation of Bluefields that ultimately re-acknowledged the 
sovereignty of Nicaragua over its Atlantic Coast and 
incorporated the territory into the Zelaya department of 
Nicaragua. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
THREE DECREES - INDEPENDENCE, NO ELECTIONS, NEW CURRENCY 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶4. (C) Immediately following his election, the new Wihta Tara read a decree that proclaimed the immediate independence of the Mosquito Coast from the government of Nicaragua. This first decree included a call to form a council of ministers and an army comprised of some 200 ex-Contras, as well as the transition of the existing North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) Regional Government into the administration of the new Wihta Tara. The second decree called for the suspension all political elections within the Mosquito Coast, including the upcoming Regional Council elections slated for 2010. The third decree called on the population of the Mosquito Coast to reject the Nicaraguan currency, the cordoba, and establish a new currency and flag.
 
---------------------------- 
CHALLENGE TO BROOKLYN RIVERA 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Since the 1970's Brooklyn Rivera has claimed to be the 
main leader of the Miskito people.  In 1979,  Rivera and 
Steadman Fagoth (now GON Fisheries Minister) were elected 
leaders of an indigenous organization and later became some 
of the leaders of the armed resistance against the 
Sandinistas following the Red Christmas Massacre.  In 
1985-86, YATAMA was formed and  Rivera was again elected as 
one of its leaders.  From the time of its creation YATAMA was 
an independent indigenous organization; however, it became 
political party in 1995-96.  When  Rivera formed an unpopular 
political alliance with the Sandinista National Liberation 
Front (FSLN) to increase YATAMA control in the regional 
government (see RefTel), the party's indigenous base has 
increasingly distanced itself from its leader.  Our contacts 
believe that having an independent Wihta Tara directly 
challenges  Rivera's claims to represent all of the Miskito 
people, and shows that he only represents YATAMA's (or his 
own personal) interests.  When interviewed by the press, 
Rivera said that the Wihta Tara election does not reflect the 
sentiment of all of the Miskito communities, but rather the 
Bilwi neighborhoods and the leadership of Oscar Hodgson, the 
legal advisor to the Council of Elders.  Moreover,  Rivera 
told reporters that independence is not gained by public 
decrees but only at the cost of blood. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Council of Elders' legal advisor, Oscar Hodgson, 
hinted at an independence declaration to EmbOff during 
previous meetings and told us that they were exploring ways 
to get international courts to annul treaties from the 19th 
Century.  The election of a new Wihta Tara, after more than a 
century is significant, and demonstrates the frustration that 
many Miskito people have with their self-proclaimed leader, 
Brooklyn Rivera, who has formed an alliance with the FSLN. 
The independence declaration by the new Wihta Tara is not 
likely to prosper.  Indigenous leader Coleman told the 
assembled attendees that while he supports their goals, they 
were not ready to declare independence because they need 
financial support, international support, and more 
importantly, the full support of the people established 
through a referendum process. It is inconceivable to us that 
the GON would accept this claim of independence.  We will 
watch closely to see if the proclamation has any echo in the 
Atlantic Coast public and if so, what steps the GON would 
take to oppose any secession efforts. 
CALLAHAN