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FOR YOUR ACTION - NICARAGUA
For Action Alerts from the ELCA Washington Office, see
link at:
http://www.elca.org/advocacy/issues/latinamerica
ORTEGA SIGNS THE BOLIVARIAN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE AMERICAS
On January 11, Ortega signed ALBA, the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas,
an alternative to free trade treaties. According to Ortega, the ALBA “represents
the American peoples’ aspirations of independence” and their rejection of the
neoliberal policies, promoted by the US, which have created a “social emergency”
in Nicaragua and across Latin America by denying access to education, healthcare
and employment.
See link at:
http://www.nicanet.org/ortega_signs_alba.php
SUPPORT THE BANANA WORKERS AFFECTED BY NEMAGON PESTICIDE
Nemagon is a virulent pesticide that was used on banana plantations in
Nicaragua, other countries in Central America, in the Caribbean, and in the
Philippines. It is derived from debromochloropropane (DBCP) and kills a
microscopic worm which inhibits the production and damages the appearance of
bananas. Though banned in the U.S. since 1979 because workers in the plants
manufacturing the product were found to be sterile, Nemagon was exported
throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s to unsuspecting banana producing nations like
Nicaragua. Standard Fruit (Dole in the U.S.), Del Monte, and United Fruit (now
Chiquita) were some of the companies that sprayed Nemagon on their crops of
bananas. The pesticide was produced by Dow Chemical, Shell Oil, Occidental and
others.
A Nicaraguan court ruled on December 11, 2002, that Dow, Shell and Dole had to
pay US$490 million to affected banana workers from the Department of Chinandega,
but the companies have yet to pay one cent to the plaintiffs.
To take action, see:
http://www.nicanet.org/labor/nemegon-follow-up.php
http://www.bananalink.org.uk
For additional information regarding Nicaragua, see links at:
http://www.lawg.org/countries/nicaragua/links.htm
For information on contact with Congress, see :
http://www.elca.org/advocacy/federal
or activist tools at:
http://www.lawg.org
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