Declaration on Nicaragua and
{for peace in Central America

The participants in the International
Conference on Nicaragua and for Peace
in Central America, which took place
from 3-6 May, 1984 in Lisbon, Portugal,
expressed their urgent and deep concern.
_Over the critical and dangerous develop-
‘ments in Central America and the threats
to the sovereignty, independence and
freedom of the Republic of Nicaragua.

The participants in the Conference,
represented a unique gathering of inter-
national and national non-governmental
organizations from all parts of the world
and comprised representatives of major
political, religious, cultural forces in the
world. The Conference heard testimony
from a delegation of Nicaragua and rep-
‘resentatives from other countries in
Central America, as well as from
organizations and individuals who have
recently visited the region. The Confer-
ence examined the ways and means of
mobilizing the widest basis of inter-
national support in defence of Nicaragua
and in the search for a just and peaceful
settlement of the conflicts in Central
America and, having considered the
concrete proposals presented to the Con-

ference, declares that:

1. The development of the political
and military situation in Central Ameri-
ca, and especially in regard to Nicaragua,
is fundamentally opposed to the interest
_and aspirations of the people and the
peace and security in the region. Groups
of mercenaries and counter revolution-
-aries are intensifying military operations
on a large scale against Nicaragua, rely-
ing on the direct support, including mili-
tary, financial and diplomatic support, of
the United States and of some of the
most reactionary regimes in Central
- America. These acts of aggression occur
in direct violation of the principles and
norms of international law and of the
Charter of the United Nations and con-
stitute serious threats to the peace of the
region and of the world.

' 2. The Conference participants have
been inspired by the heroic struggle of
the Sandinista Front of National Libera-
tion and the people of Nicaragua in their
victorious battle for the overthrow of the

.Somoza tyranny. They applaud the deep
humanism of the policies of the Nicara-
. guan Government in consolidating the
democratic gains of the Revolution and
in promoting and implementing demo-
cratic solutions to the economic, social
and cultural problems of their country.

3. The Conference pays special tri-
vute to Nicaragua as a state which en-
sures freedom and human rights for its
‘people, who, in the exercise of its right to
self-determination has chosen its own
‘and independent path to development,

-reflected in the internal and external
policies of the Nicaraguan Government.
This is Nicaragua’s right which is in con-
formity with the principles of inter-
national law concerning non-interven-
tion in-the internal affairs of other coun-
tries and respect for the national
sovereignty of each people.

4. The Conference notes with serious
concern that in El Salvador and in
Guatemala notwithstanding the resolu-
tions, appeals and demands of the com-
petent United Nations agencies and
other international social and political

organizations and human rights bodies,~

these regimes continue their gross and
systematic violations of the free-
doms and the political, economic, social

6 e PACIFIC‘TRIBUNE, MAY 23, 1984

TRIBUNE PHOTO —TOM MORRIS

Section of head table at the conference.

and cultural rights of their peoples, re-
sulting in mass murders, assassinations

~ and arbitrary arrests. In addition the

people are ground down by poverty,
exploitation and misery. These massive
violations of basic, fundamental rights
must provoke the anger and condemna-

tion of international public opinion. The -

participants in the Conference, on the
basis of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and in accordance with
international law, recognize the legiti-
macy of the liberation struggle of the

peoples of these countries and condemn
the action of the United States which also ,
provides military economic and political °

support for the oligarchies of these coun-
tries to wage wars on their own citizens.
The Conference appeals to the peoples of
the world to strengthen their solidarity
with the peoples of El Salvador and
Guatemala.

5. The Conference notes with special
anxiety the use of the territory of Hon-
duras’ as a base for aggressive acts
against the government and people of
Nicaragua and against the struggle for
liberation in El Salvador. It condemns
the use of Honduran territory by the
armed forces of the United States and the
holding of provocative military exercises
and naval manoeuvres. The Conference
denounces the continued supply of
armaments and military material by the
United States to the Somoza Guards,
who are multiplying their activities in
their attempt to destroy the economy and
destabilize the Government of
Nicaragua. In this process of terrorism a
large number of the civilian population of
Nicaragua and a number of foreign citi-
zens have been murdered.

6. The Conference underlines that the
internationally recognized Definition of
Aggression adopted by consensus by the
General Assembly of the United Nations

in 1974, categorically forbids any State ©

from sending ‘‘armed bands, groups, ir-
regulars or mercenaries which carry out
acts of armed force against another State
of such gravity”’ as to amount to aggres-
sion against the other State. The
Declaration also categorically forbids
and qualifies as an act of aggression the
actions of a state which allows its terri-
tory to be used by another state to com-
mit acts of aggression against a third
state. A war of aggression is a crime
against international peace and the Con-
ference reminds the world that under the
Nuremberg Principles, those guilty of
aiding and abetting such crimes are
individually liable for their acts.

‘7. The Conference considers that
there is a direct and immediate danger of
an invasion of Nicaragua by the armed
forces of the United States and an escala-
tion of the U.S. Intervention in El Sal-
vador. These developments may not
only lead to a regional war but may also
menace the peace of the world. The Con-
ference therefore makes a special and
urgent appeal to public opinion in the
United States to re-double its activities,

especially in the U.S. Congress, in order .

to deflect the U.S. administration from a
policy is a clear breach of interna-
tional law and which has already led to
immense suffering, death and destruc-
tion.

The participants in the Conference.

support the initiatives of the Government
of Nicaragua,aimed at a political settle-
ment of the conflict in Central America.
The Conference supports the peace pro-
posals of the Contadora Group of States
— Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Ven-
ezuela — and appeals to them to call on
the United States to stop the escalation
of military activities and negotiate di-
rectly with Nicaragua. The Conference
also applauds the peace initiatives of
others and appeals to all countries and
international organizations and, espe-
cially, to the Non-Aligned Movemer ¢
and the Secretary General of the United
Nations to contribute urgently to a poli-
tical settlement of Central American
problems.

9. The Conference condemns the
criminal mining of the ports of Nicaragua
which has been openly and deliberately
admitted by the U.S. administration.
This act is in clear violation of the most
elementary norms of international law
and has resulted in severe losses for the
economy of Nicaragua, the loss of lives
and contempt forthe law of the sea and of
free navigation. The Conference con-
demns the use of the veto by the U.S. in
the Security Council arising out of the
Nicaraguan complaint to the council and

determines that the U.S. cannot escape -

international responsibility, including
the duty of reparation, for breach of its
international obligations.

10. The Conference deplores the posi-
tion of the United States administration
concerning the International Court of
Justice at The Hague, the highest judicial
tribunal. in international law for’ the
peaceful and orderly settlement of dis-
putes between states, whose compe-
tence and jurisdiction are being rejected
by the U.S. administration in all matters
relating to Central America for a period
of two years. -

11. The Conference appeals to the

~Government of Costa Rica to abide by its

proclaimed declaration of neutrality and
not to allow its territory to be used for
acts of aggression against the Nicaraguan
revolution.”

12. The Conference greets with great
satisfaction the decision of the revolu-
tionary Government of Nicaragua to
hold elections on November 4th, 1984
and welcomes the offer by the Nicaragua
Government to receive internationally
respected observers. The Conference
appeals to the international community
to support this further process of con-
solidation of democracy there and take
every opportunity to bear testimony to
the democratic nature of the revolution

in Nicaragua.

World op

LISBON — The danger of direct (6
U.S. military intervention into
Nicaragua and El’ Salvador, the omi- ”
nous build-up of U.S. forces in Cent
ral America and the increasing © —
ligerence of the Reagan administt@ (*!
tion were the subject of an intems® ©
three-day International Conference
here May 3-6. .

Seventy-eight countries wel —
represented with delegates and 00
servers from the broadest range 0fS0
cial, political, religious and solidarity —
organizations as well as 22 inter
national organizations, 19 of whom, “e
along with the Portuguese National ~
Conference Committee formed
International Preparatory Committee ai

| : for this urgent gathering. I

It was a hard working meetiNé

dis- 4
cussed in detail by commissions: ‘
e Analysis of the military, politic
and economic aggressions against tr
Nicaragua and other peoples of Cetee a
ral America; A
e Examination, and action in sup” :
port of initiatives for peace in the 1 y
gion (such as efforts of the Contador ¥
group and others); 4
e Action in defence of the i
economic, social, political and oul ; i.
al transformation in Nicaragua and for .
democracy in Central America; © is
e Action to counter the campaign ~

which addressed four themes,

- ——

13. The Conference strongly cot ¥
demns the military invasion of Grenada
by the United States and the intention of hr
the U.S; to strengthen the present regime” |
in that country. This intervention consti
tutes a grave international crime. Con: ~
ference condemns the blockade of and
provocations against Cuba, as well as the
aggressive policy of the United States a
in Central America.

14. It asks the world to reject the t
modern version of the Monroe Doctrine “S
by which the U.S. intervenes in any
country where its national security is 4
legedly involved. This is part of the dis-
credited notion of spheres of vital intel- —
ests by which the strong have dominated
the weak, and flies in the face of cleat ~
legal rules prohibiting resort to force and
interference in the internal affairs of +
other states. Apart from direct intel —
vention, the United States has embarked ~
on acts of political destabilization, ecO-
nomic disruption, psychological warfare
and terrorism against Nicaragua and
other Latin American states.

15. Taking into account the above
considerations the Conference proposes —
to all those concerned with peace and
human progress:

(i) To recognize the right of ’
Nicaragua to request and receive all °
forms of assistance in order to protect ©
its territorial integrity, political inde-—

pendence and its revolution and tore- 8
spond to such requests from the %

Government of Nicaragua. AK

(ii) To participate in the develop- —
ment, all over the world, of concrete ¥
actions for more developed, inter- —
national solidarity with Nicaragua, in- —
cluding mass demonstrations and pro- %8
~ test meetings against U.S. policy in “s
the region as well as the sending of —
material assistance to help the victims —
of this policy and of the crimes of the