By Stephen Marks
MANAGUA — The new situation in Nicaragua is producing alliances unimaginable a few years ago. As the government of Violeta Chamorro sides increasingly with the rich against the poor, former members of the Nicaraguan National Resistance (the Contras) are lining up with organisations dedicated to defending the social gains of the Sandinista years.
One such organisation is the Augusto Cesar Sandino Foundation (FACS), formed in 1980, which aims to promote genuine development and national reconciliation.
International assistance for organisations such as FACS has helped many Nicaraguans to survive 20 years of natural disaster, revolution, economic blockade and war. Through many political changes here and abroad, FACS has adjusted to fluctuating levels of assistance while needs have become ever more urgent.
In 1992, FACS initiated popular consultations in six Pacific coast regions. The process brought together 268 delegates from 46 projects including cooperatives, unions, individual producers, women's organisations, community groups, local government and demobilised members of the Sandinista Popular Army and the National Resistance.
The aim was to propose solutions to problems resulting from the government's structural adjustment and environmental policies, and to evaluate the performance of FACS. One participant, a former member of the National Resistance, dubbed the process "linking the foundation with the base".
A recurring theme was the way government policies favour big producers and landlords. At planting, corn is sold to campesinos (peasants) for up to 90 cordobas (about $23) a quintal (100 pounds), yet by harvest time the price has dropped to 25 cordobas. Lacking storage facilities, many campesinos plant only enough to feed themselves and their families. The banks refuse credit and discriminate against cooperatives and small producers and businesses.
The consultations endorsed a proposal to establish a revolving loan fund providing low interest loans to small producers without other access to credit. Borrowers will also be provided with technical assistance and training in bookkeeping.
Repayments will provide funds for further loans. So far, 56 projects have received loans in addition to the 46 wholly funded by FACS last year. It is hoped the loan project will put increasingly scarce international donations to best use.
The consultations also pointed to the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, a link readily evident at most traffic signals in Managua. At what is known as the red, orange and green market, desperate people try to sell anything they can lay hands on, as parrots, armadillos, monkeys and leopard cubs.
The FACS consultations came up with many practical examples of how local initiatives can benefit the environment in the face of government inaction. The Jinotega Community Movement had planted 40,000 trees, while composting and natural pesticide techniques were highly developed in Sébaco and there were numerous campesino-to-campesino programs to pass on conservation skills.
Social gains of the Sandinista period are now under attack. Poverty affects 70% of the population. Infant mortality is climbing past 71 per thousand live births, and 150,000 children have left the school system.
The government is responding to growing unrest by intensifying poverty through neo-liberal programs to dismantle state services, particularly social welfare.
Standing against this trend, "FACS is like a little government", says Mayra Arauz of the Brothers of Australia child-care centre in León. Similarly, Mayor Juan Jimenez of El Rosario says his community has been able to strengthen itself thanks to aid from FACS.
The 46 projects supported by FACS in 1992 included assistance to small businesses and workshops, schools and literacy teams, health posts, natural medicine centres (developing alternatives to highly priced drugs) and infrastructure development, houses, roads and irrigation.
At a general assembly in late November to wind up the FACS consultations for 1992, former members of the National Resistance praised the foundation for providing assistance regardless of religion, race or politics. "We are supporting the struggle of the poor against the rich", said a young cooperative leader from Nueva Guinea, recently jailed for defending community land against takeover by supporters of the old Somoza dictatorship, returned from exile since the election of the Chamorro government.