In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega goes hard against NGOs in their own country. The EU has also supported initiatives for regional development advised the visor.
Haydeé Castillo (article image) is 57 years old and has three children, who were born in the mountains in the North of Nicaragua, an area with cool climate and lush coffee plantations. Here also the bloodiest battles of the civil took war in the 1980s.
Ten years ago, Castillo founded the “Instituto de Liderazgo de Las Segovias” (ILSS), an NGO working for the rights of indigenous communities and women. But the work of Haydeé Castillo and eight other NGOs are now. The government of President Daniel Ortega has banned it – because they had allegedly supported the protests that would have erupted eight months ago in the country and, therefore, terrorism and the destabilization of the country promote.
The ILSS is based in Ocatal, the capital of the administrative district of Nueva Segovia, about 230 kilometers from the capital, Managua. The NGO has for many years promoted by European governments and institutions and had become an important focal point for the training of young people, peasants, the indigenous population, women as well as for activists of the environmental movement.
“We have established this training centre in 2008, with the aim to develop it into a recognised University in Las Segovias. Everything was prepared, but the government has never authorized, the University Council (CNU) to join the body that governs higher education in the country,” said Castillo in an interview with DW.
Haydeé Castillo is with your NGO for the rights of women and Indians in Nicaragua
Support from the EU
Castillo is a trained social scientist with a Master’s degree in Central American integration studies. Their experience in the fields of risk and project management as well as food safety will enable it to promote projects that have a positive impact on the development of the Region.
In recent years, the ILSS in-service training grants has been awarded to hundreds of farmers. Thousands of women were victims of violence received psychological counselling. Many of them were put in the Would be to start their own small businesses.
“You are now taken against our Initiative, because we have the self-confidence of the local people and their identity as Indigenous, as a Construct, as women and young people have been strengthened in Las Segovias, an area that has been forgotten by the Central government,” said Haydeé Castillo.
The government has accused Castillo to have a “conspiracy”to overthrow Ortega participated. 14. October, was arrested the activist at the airport of Managua, as you wanted to travel to a human rights conference in Spain. The authorities have warned you that you spent to travel restrictions because, on the basis of “serious crimes” against them would be determined.
Under General Suspicion
“My country is my prison,” says the head of the ILSS and says that now their family members are threatened. On the walls of your home in Ocotal Unknown smeared in black paint the words “death” and “lead”.
Since the prohibition of the ILSS and eight other NGOs, the ILSS of the police are occupied, officials and paramilitaries. The European Union has criticised the withdrawal of the base for the work of NGOs in focus. In a statement the measures were condemned as “a further step against the rule of law, civil rights and human rights” in Nicaragua.
“My country is my prison,” said Haydeé Castillo
The crisis in Nicaragua began with a student protest at 18. April. According to the inter-American Commission on human rights (IACHR) have since died 325 people, including 29 children. 3000 people were injured, mostly by police and paramilitary units.