by Betty Barton >Walt Taylor of Smithers spoke to students at both Caledonia and Skeena schools last week about the Nicaraguan election held Feb. 25th, a pro- cess which he personally witness- ed, | Taylor explained to a group of students at Skeena, that the UNO Nacional Opositora party defeated the ‘‘bunch that won the revolution in '79, and who have been in power since then.”’ He showed the students the large ballot: form which listed 10 par- ties running for the national assembly. Ironically or inten- tionally, UNO (which means ‘fone’ in Spanish) was listed as number one, and the Sandinistas (the party in power since ’79, called the Frente Sandinista de - liberacion nacional) as number five. The Sandinistas had as their symbol a hand and the word Cinque (five in Spanish). ' The ballot form was one of three in this election. There was also one to elect president and vice-president and one for municipal councils and mayors. Voting age in Nicaragua is 16, and more than half the popula- tion is under 15 years of age. Walt Taylor was an official observer, one of many from dif- ferent countries and organiza- tions, of the Nicaraguan election process. A member of the Smithers Human Rights Society and a retired social worker, Taylor was invited by the Casa Nicaraguense de Espanol (a Nicaraguan school of Spanish) to observe. No costs were covered by the school, but Walt and his wife felt he could do some good. He wrote back and offered to send the transporta- tion money rather than go himself, if that would be of greater assistance. He quickly _ got a reply that they wanted as many independent observers as possiblé,’ and ‘they would be pleased to host him with a Nicaraguan family. The Taylors . taised the money for his travels, .with the assistance of Northwest Development Education, of which Walt is a member. Although the election took place.on February 25th, the of- fical change of government took place last Wednesday. During his time in Nicaragua, - Walt did bus tours with other observers to rallies organized by both leading parties, and to fif- teen polling stations. With a let- ter from the Interior News from Smithers, he got a press card and had the opporiunity to travel also with the press to areas otherwise restricted. Every country was represented in the media and as observers during the election process. The card- board ballot boxes and polling --booths were provided by Canada. Although Taylor tried to be objective in his interpretation of the policical environment in Nicaragua and often mentioned that the students should do more reading and come to their own conclusions, what he observed in ' Nicaragua made him lean slight- ly towards the Sandinistas. He was impressed al the Sandanista government progress in literacy, os B6. Terrace Review — Wednesday, May 2, 1990 Local students he health and land reform. When they took power in 1979, they distributed to the people land - formerly owned by previous: leader, Somoza.; | ae He explained to. the. students. that perhaps’ it- was ‘the land reforms policy that led. U.S. President Reagan to start.a-cam- paign against the Sandinistas in the early 1980’s. His government backed the contras or ‘‘freedom fighters’? to overthrow the - Nicaraguan government. Over 30,000 citizens and military per- sonnel were killed during the © decade of fighting. Reagan put an embargo on U.S. trade with Nicaragua, which strangled the economy, and the U.S. government inter- fered with financial aid to Nicaragua through the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. In Taylor’s opinion, ‘‘UNO was the party President Bush wanted to win. UNO is a coali- tion of 14 different political par- ties whose main goal was to defeat the Sandinistas.”’ Taylor is concerned that perhaps they will not be so united in their philosophies, coming from such different backgrounds. ‘People voted for them to get the US. off their backs”’. On the other hand, Taylor observed the Sandinistas the night after the election, and ad- mired their spirit. ‘‘They’re so strong and so together.” Taylor hopes that they’ll refuse to give up and make a good opposition party which will encourage the new government to continue progress in the areas of health and education. He heard them shouting in © Spanish before the election, “We win. Forward!’’ After the election, they continued, “We lost. Forward!’’ His own billeting family shouted, ‘‘Yes, always forward!’’- Nicaragua is a country one- eighth the size of B.C. with ap- proximately the same (3 million) population. In Spaniard Cortez landed in Nicaragua and subjugated the people to butchery, bondage and hostility, a precedent that con- tinued through successive governments until 1979, ke a S00 ar tale of sandanista defeat 1523, the WALT TAYLOR: People voted for them to get the U.S. off their backs. age House Specials OUR SPECIALITY 638-8218 Minl Sesall Median Large Family [ hg 9" 12" s i" Square YOUR CHOICE PATIO SPECIAL pepperoni, mushrooms, §.50 8.75 12.40 17.15 20.75 . 5.50 8.75 12.40 17.15 20.75 4.80 7.85 11.20 15.55 18.80 5.50 8.75 12.40 17.15 20.75 12.35 17.20 23.565 28.55 All toppings bui one of « Salami green peppers, olives * Pepperoni * Mushrooms onions. green peppers, « Tlason mushrooms, olives « Ham « Green Peppers HAWAIIAN w# Onions becon, pineapple, * Ground Beef Ereen peppere * Olives . 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