The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 21, 1986 -Page 5 6,500 political prisoners languish in Ni MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - A leading official of an independent uman rights agency estimates icaragua is holding 6,500 men and women as political prisoners out of an overall prison population of 9,000. "If the figures are reasonably correct, and I think they are, then this country has the most political prisoners in Latin America," said Lino Hernandez Trigueros, executive secretary of the Permanent Human Rights Commission of Nicaragua. He said many of the political prisoners are subjected to torture and re forced to live in cramped, darkened cells without adequate food or medical care. STILL OTHERS are held just for a few hours of harsh questioning and are beaten before being relased, he added in an interview with The Associated Press. The Permanent Human Rights Commission was founded by Nicaraguans in 1977 to investigate 1harges of human rights violations under President Anastasio Somoza, who was ousted in 1979 and replaced by the leftist Sandinista government now in office. The commission is funded by private Nicaraguan donations. The Sandinista government has acknowledged holding people for politicalreasons but Hernandez Trigueros says it has refused to discuss their numbers or the con- ditions under which they are held. The government denies human rights abuses, however. HernandezTrigueros said his estimate of 6,500 political prisoners includes 2,500 former national guar- dsmen of the Somoza regime, many locked up since1979. HUMAN RIGHTS abuses are stan- dard in El Chipote, a state security prison, Hernandez Trigueros said. It is operated by the Interior Ministry and is on a hill behind the Intercon- tinental Hotel in downtown Managua. "In El Chipote, people are put in underground cells which are sealed, with only a -small pipe in the ceiling for air," Hernandez Trigueros said. "The people do not have names, only numbers." He said prisoners there often are put in underground cells without win- dows or lights. Some cells have a glow-in-the-dark ring painted around the floor hole used for a toilet, he ad- ded. Among abuses cited by Hernandez Triguer cs at El Chipote and other prisons: " Prisoners isolated and often deprived of food and water for several days, left to live in total darkness, or alternately, in a cell where a light burns constantly. " Prisoners, both men and women, forced to do physical exercise in the nude and subjected to taunts by their captors. In cases of women priosners, there have been reports of sexual abuse. * Prisoners beaten during in- terrogations. Some prisoners are put in barrels of water and left in the open for two to three days and nights. " Prisoners given drugs before in- terrogation so they cannot remember afterward what they had said or what was said to them. Hernandez Trigueros said those arrested for political reasons have lit- tle chance of being released unless the Sandinistas decide to free them. The government holds prisoners without charge or trail under terms of a series of states of emergency decreed since March 1982 because of the fight against U.S.-supported rebels. The Contras as well have been ac- cused of committing human rights violations in their operations against the Sandinistas. Many of the Nicaraguan com- mission's findings have been echoed by other cources, including former President Jimmy Carter who recently visited Nicaragua and the London- based Amnesty International human rights organizations. CARTER, who met with two political prisoners released by the government, said afterward, "I am not satisfied with what I found here. But I hope that it's not too late to repair the past and implant the goals the Sandinistas had set in 1979." Amnesty International in a report Feb. 11 said, "Under the Sandinista government, political prisoners may be held incommunicado for periods of up to several months, denied a fair trial, and be subjected to poor prison conditions." The report added, "Most of these prisoners are released without coming to trial, and prisoners of con- science wrongfully convicted of crimes have usually been pardoned shortly afterward. These detentions seemed to represent a pattern of in- timidation and harrassment." Amnesty International also said ac- cused the Contras of human rights violations. It said frequent reports from deserters and witnesses told of torture, mutilations, and executions by the Contras. The number of vic- aragua tims, it said, "is believed to total many hundreds." HERNANDEZ Trigueros said the Sandinistas' political prisoners can range from a housewife to an im- poverished farmer but favorite targets are opposition leaders, lawyers and anyone the Sandinistas feel pose a dissident threat. "The government wants the critics to leave the country or at least silence them," he said. A written request by The Associated Press for an interview with Interior Minister Tomas Borge, who is the of- ficial in overall charge of prisons, was not answered. Hernandez Trigueros said his organization and the Red Cross have been denied permission to inspect the prisons. "During the time of Somoza, there were many serious problems, but now it is more serious," Hernandez Trigueros said. "Before, it was possible to visit the prisons, but now that is impossible by order of Borge." ~~. ............. . g : . i 4: ;i 5: i'v : ". A{L^'< }} + .. ?. . . . 6ivi't';...., .. Udlity rate increases .will affect students, By ANNE CHAPPLE Utility rates are unnecessarily rising and contributing to tution hikes, according to a state representative and thge director of the Michigan Citizens Lobby. State Representative Perry Bullard (D- Ann Arbor) told an audience at the Union's pen- dleton room that last night "students have a substantial stake in energy costs decisions." ECHOING BULLARD, Joe Tiuckinsky, exec- utive director of Michigan Citizens Lobby (MCL), said, "For students, increased utility rates increase tuition - they increase housing." Tuckinsky said that because the University has to pay exhorbitant cost in utilities it is for- ced to pass the burden onto students. Warning an audience of MCL members, but no students, Tuckinsky said Detroit Edison and Consumers Power are requesting rate in- creases totaling nearly $1 billion. If the Public Service Commission (PSC) approves the requests, consumer bills could rise up to 40 percent.] BOTH speakers warned that such rate in- creases could drive businesses out of the state and discourage new ones from settling in Michigan. Tuckinsky charged that the proposed rate in- creases are unnecessary and directly at- tributable to utility companies poor planning and waste. Both speakers agreed that the increases are a result of the construction of the Bell River and Fermi power plants. The $2 billion spent by Detroit Edison to build the plants was un- necessary because the electric power generated by them will not be needed until the 1990s, Tuckinsky said. Tuckinsky added that the power to be generated by the $4 billion Fermi plant willnot be needed until the next century, if then. "The cost of these plants has far overrun projected costs and the burden, of course, will be passed on to the consumers," Tuckinsky said. He condemned the waste, saying that if old coal-powered plants had been updated and modernized, the net cost to the consumer would be about one fourth of that for the power to be generated by the Fermi plant and one half that for the power generated by the Bell River plant. .:; NO 3 's e co ..:Ca> '9z4" :. x~ z b sus.. y: ..... ......; ...... Court dismissed obstruction ........ -..r- i (Continuedfrom Page 1) can't expect a jail term for something like this." Plunkett added that said he and The defendants said they would not other officials are satisfied with the have been convicted had the case agreement. "You've got to make sure gone to trial, and consider the everybody is getting a fair deal. You, results a victory for students. "THE CHARGES were dropj because obviously the Universitya the city didn't think they could fin jury that could convict us," said L senior Marion Milbaver. "The ar was a waste of money and time.,, LSA senior David Issacson ca] charges aa ped yesteruay s comprounse a victory and for students because it shows they d a can't prosecute students for SA protesting. Hopefully, they'll decide est they have to listen to protestors in- stead of trying to shut them up." led OTHER defendants included LSA seniors Mara Silverman and Jodie McCann, LSA juniors Mark Cullitton, SJoseph .Lieber, Graduate Student Mark Weisbrot, and Ann Arbor er- residents Jane Kirschman, Keith ial Lyon, and Andrew Boyd. inst CIA protestors Many of them said the decision pleased with the decision becau would encourage future campus shows what we did wa sright be protests. "If they (the CIA), ever the crimes of the CIA are a vio come back, they will know that the of international law and hu University and the police will not be rights." able to deny our right to protest," Yesterday's group of protester Weisbrot said, the third to go before the court. Leiber added that if the CIA does first group was acquitted ofc return "they'll see some people derly conduct on January 23. waiting for them because they don't second group's trial ended in a seem to be changing theirpolicies jury on February 7. They any." scheduled to be retried in Mar Weisbrot said he was especially trespassing and disorderly condu se "it cause lation iuman s was . The disor- The hung y are ch for luct. Crane talks on 'revolution of the righ (Continued from Page 1) nnent. "If my voting record had been followed, we'd be running surpluses WOW," Crane said. While he views the deficits as a serious problem, he did :#'Eruire0s FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 120 S. State 662-4536 Sunday - 9:30 & 11:00 Worship and Church School 9:30 broadcast on WNRS 1290 AM 11:00 broadcast on WAAM 1600 AM Sun. SERMON TITLE: "ON BEING SAVED" by Dr. Donald B. Strobe Wed. 7:00 p.m. Communion in Chapel Fri. 7:30 p.m. Dr. Strobe's Adult Class r UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHAPEL 1511 Washtenaw 663-5560 Dr. Paul Foelber, Interim Pastor LUTHERAN CAMPUS MINISTRY Sunday Worship 10:30 Lenten Worship 7:30 Wednesday Sunday Supper 6:00 * * * COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m. at Mack School 920 Miller, Ann Arbor 10:45 a.m. Sunday School and Adult Bible Study Philip H. Tiews, Pastor For more information call 761-1999. * * * FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1432 Washtenaw Ave., 662-4466 (between S. University and Hill) Sunday 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour - 10:30 social hall Adult Education Classes during both services Campus Group: Coordinator - Jamie Schultz Meets for Communion 7 p.m. Wednes- days. Program follows at 7:30. Wr. William Hillegonds - Sr. Minister * * AMERICAN BAPTIST CAMPUS CENTER FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Huron St. (between State & Division) Sundays: 9:55 worship, 11:25 Bible Study groups for both Undergrads and Graduate Students. a- Thursdays : 5:30 Supper (free) and not, accept a tax increase as a viable solution because of the adverse affect of high taxes on U.S. foreign trade. Further, he said, "taxes (now) are at almost record levels." He also scorned Reagan's attempt at tax reform. "The tax reform bill is right now languishing in the Senate," he said. "With any luck, they'll never get it out of the Senate." CRANE predicted doom for the Social Security system. "Social Security," he said, "is out of control and will get much worse until someone comes up with a sane alt native." He said that the Soc Security system will no longer ex by the time audience members rea the age of eligibility. In response to an audience quest about the presidential chances Congressman Jack Kemp (R-N. who is a friend of Crane, he pointed the obstacle of Vice President Geo Bush. "George Bush has taken Kemp's positions...that's Kem problem," he said. ist ach ion of Y.) 1ou rge all p's I Reagan vows to aid Nicaraguan rebels (Continued fromPage 1) his people and threatens the peace and freedom of the hemisphere." Administration officials have said repeatedly they have no plans to in- vade Nicaragua, but they are making a concentrated effort to gain congressional support for $100 million in aid for rebel groups trying to over- throw the Sandinista regime in Managua. Reagan flew to Grenada to honor the 19 servicemen killed in three days of fighting that forced Cuban troops from the island and led to formation of a democratically elected government. HE LAID a green wreath with a purple ribbon at the foot of a memorial to the 19, then stepped back and stood silent for a moment. During a visit of barely five hours, Reagan met with the island's gover- nor, Paul Scoon, and with prime ministers of nine English-speaking democracies in the eastern Caribbean before his speech t-island residents. On Oct. 25, 1983, a 6,000-member U.S. force invaded Grenada and removed a military junta that had seized power six days earlier. Reagan described it as a rescue mission for about 600 American students at St. George's University Medical School campus. Air Force One landed at Point Saline International Airport, scene of some of the strongest resistance to the invading U.S. Army Rangers and Marines from Cuban soldiers and construction workers armed with automaic rifles. Twenty-four Cubans were killed in the fighting. "Good friends don't let good frends smoke cigarettes." Larry Hagman Cigarettes aren't good for your friends. Adopt a friend who smokes and help 'em quit today. You'll both be glad tomorrow. 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