A letter from Carlos Cardenas Martinez in Nicaragua
March 2015- EASTER SEASON, WORRIES SEASON
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him (Proverbs 24:24).
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
I greet you, hoping that the blessings of the Lord are always with you and with your families. In Nicaragua today we are about to enjoy the Easter Season as an opportunity to have a break for rest and reflection, a de-stress time to look for peace and to put our things in order, asking for our Lord's direction. At this time we are sorry to say that we leave our jobs, our daily occupations, not very convinced that peace is only the absence of war. There are tough times for those who live in the country, but times belong to God and we must strive to ensure that they are used for construction of the peace that we all need.
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Thousands of families prepare to fight against chinese consortium HKND
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Growing massive street protests against the canal project.
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Mass protests against the Canal Project in Managua, November and December 2014
Nicaraguans approach this Holy Week vacation with a profound concern. The opinions and minds of the society have never been as divided in the last 10 years as they are now. The reason is the decision of the country’s leaders to construct a huge inter-oceanic canal that would literally divide the country into two parts and is being called the mega-project of the century. We hear it referred to as "President Daniel Ortega's Canal," a clear allusion to the fact that in spite of a strong popular opposition to this project the president has made bold efforts to convert this project into a matter of national law.
But why such a brave opposition against this project?
Doesn't the project means perhaps economic improvement for the country, a significant increase of opportunities for employment, or a reaffirmation of the country’s sovereignty and a gigantic jump into international tourism and marketing, giving Nicaragua strategic positioning?
I would say in my humble opinion that this is only the positive side of the issue, as pointed out by the CEPAD leadership: "We are in support of the project because there are more advantages than disadvantages.” But another side has other figures that lean the scales ’way more toward the negative: thousands of families have already carried out countless protests against the project for fear of massive confiscation of their properties where the route of the canal has been planned in spite of the government having promised that it would assure indemnification to every affected family.
Many families are fearful that it will not happen as the government is saying it will. A couple of years ago properties were confiscated from several hundreds of families for a hydroelectric dam, many of whom have yet to be indemnified or, having received a price ’way lower than market value, have been unable to purchase property somewhere else. Church members alongside the project share the hope and are confident that the government and entities in charge of the works will accomplish environmental requirements and keep commitments with landowners.
There has been resistance from thousands of environmentalists, indigenous communities that were not consulted and whose ancient lands will be controlled, activists against climate change, and other sectors representing enormous forces against the project. Their concern is based on the environmental damage that specialists indicate will cause irreversible damage to important bodies of water, to forest reserves, and to the biodiversity of important protected areas and wildlife. There are no known protective measures in place.
There have been more than 35 protest marches in less than one year, and last December the protest got out of hand, injuring several policemen and protesters. More than 50 persons were arrested and later released.
One of the negative impacts questioned most by those opposed to the project is the damage to the great Lake of Nicaragua, one of the more recognized world reserves of fresh water. The canal will cross the lake, affecting its reserve of marine life, wetlands and its admirable landscape beauty.
We everyday citizens want the politicians to not manipulate the project, and we call on them to avoid labeling people as pro-government or anti-government based on their support or rejection of this project. In fact, at the bottom of this issue for the common people is the future of their properties, their lands, small farms, and homesteads, as well as the conservation of the biodiversity in the country.
It is sad to say that the topic of the inter-oceanic canal divides us not only as citizens with constitutional rights but also as friends, relatives and even in congregations and churches. It is my perception that there is also a latent political atomization, which compels us to keep silent or distance ourselves from those in power or those allied with those who hold the power. We share our partner’s point of view, which calls us to be more confident and keep being patient, promoting dialogue between parties at this stage of the project.
Yes, this matter worries me. Nevertheless, fortunately I have allowed neither my personal, work or familiar relations nor my friendships to be affected by this national problem.
I do not live along the canal route, but for some reason I feel compassion for those directly affected, those who have to leave their humble homes and small farms, not knowing whether they will be able to acquire a similar or better property at another site.
I am clear that those who are actively protesting are those who live along the canal route or those who love this country and such beauties as the Great Lake of Nicaragua, Ometepe Island, the archipelago of Solentiname, and the Isletas of Granada—all sites that have been declared "national treasures" and a "Heritage of Humanity" and which supposedly are protected by diverse international agreements embraced by Nicaraguan laws.
I want to express my fervent gratefulness to those who receive and read my letters, to the congregations and each of you who support this mission in Nicaragua and in the world. Thank you for your prayers, which encourage me to continue in service to the communities in our region. I am convinced that your continued gifts and donations are making a difference in our missionary work.
May the peace of our Lord be with you, your congregations and families!
Carlos Cardenas
Nicaraguan Council of Evangelical Churches (CEPAD)
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) Program Representative
for Latin America and Caribbean Region
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 65
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