Feminist International Radio Endeavour
FIRE

October 2006

 

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE AS OBSERVERS
 IN THE NEXT ELECTION OF NICARAGUA
    

Dear Friends,

The Independent Women’s Movement (MAM) invites you to participate as an observer for the defense of the vote in the next election in Nicaragua on November 5, 2006.     

MAM is a social and political movement that advocates equality, freedom, and solidarity for the construction of a political, economic and social system through democracy.    

MAM includes women who participate for a reason or individual purpose, on the basis of social responsibility and personal conviction, who adhere to MAM's principles, and actively participate in the promotion of its political feminist agenda. 

On November 5, 2006, elections are scheduled for president, vice-president and National Assembly of deputies and deputies of the legislative chamber in Nicaragua. 

Four major political parties will participate in the elections.  However, the “political agreement” between the parties of Partido Liberal Constitucionalista (PLC) of Arnoldo Alemán and of the Sandinista Front of Liberación Nacional (FSLN) with Daniel Ortega Saavedra, have held most of the control and powers of the State, and so threatens the transition to a true democracy in the country.    

The Alliance MRS (Sandinista Renovator Movement) was formed from the necessity to construct a progressive alternative left, democratic, modern movement that can confront the problems of Nicaragua, not only from a program of realistic government, but from an ethical perspective which would foster a climate of freedom, respect, security and protection for the citizens, and direct the country toward a  route of democracy and to end the corruption.   

With MRS there are numerous social organizations, social parties and movements, including the Independent Women’s Movement. Thus it is a large alliance that focuses on the well being of the population.

The election which will be held November 5th contains the possibility, through a triumph of the MRS Alliance, to consolidate a democratic State, to develop programs that tackle poverty and curb the the rise of citizen insecurity, within a framework of collaborative international relations.

A National Assembly, with a good contingent of respected deputies could contribute to adopt and implement laws that manage to revert the prevailing policies of neo-liberal cuts in the social system, and advance the rights of women.   

Recently on September 19-22 in Panama, representatives of feminist organizations of Central America and the organization Just Associates created an initiative to accompany Nicaraguan women in their participation in the electoral process.

Nicaraguan feminists, Malena de Montis and Violeta Delgado, members of the Political Coordinating Committee of the MAM, made the political decision to create and support an Observatory of Women for the Elections in Nicaragua, for which each person or organization will finance costs to have women to accompany the MAM.       

In addition, Feminist International Radio Endeavor (FIRE) is committed to hold a Webcast Marathon produced in Nicaragua so that women in other countries can observe the process virtually.  Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, as well as feminist activists, journalists and others, have committed to observe the elections through this channel.     

November 5th is the election; therefore those who decide to participate as observer officials must act quickly to attain accreditation with the Electoral Council. For that reason we ask people to write to: direccion@ipade.org.ni, and send a copy to: mdemontis@turbonett.com.ni of the following information (can be scanned):  

1. Photocopy of a current passport 

2. Photo   

Once the applicant's inscription is confirmed by the Electoral Council, participants will be required to attend a qualification workshop by the Electoral Council for observers. For that reason we request observers to arrive in Nicaragua no later than November 2nd.   

With hopes of receiving active participation of observer women we send kind regards,   

 Sofía Montenegro  Executive  Political Coordinator MAM