PREPARED STATEMENT OF HUMBERTO BELLI, FORMER EDITOR OF THE EDITORIAL PAGE, "LA PRENSA," Nicaragua, and MEMBER, Committee for Patriotic ReflectION

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this paper is to subject to criticism some widespread contentions regarding the problems facing the Church in Nicaragua and the solutions.

Today many people make the following assertions about Nicaragua. It is claimed that the Sandinista government is not a Marxist-Leninist government but a unique blend of Marxism and Christianity--a revolution with a "human face."

It is further claimed that the current difficulties between
the state and the Church stem not from government hostility
to the Church but from a conservative class bias on the
part of some members of the hierarchy, especially the
Archbishop, Obando y Bravo, who allow themselves to be
used by right-wing forces--a deliberate manipulation of
religion for political ends.

The solution, it is claimed, is that the Church should not foster conflict with the government but should disengage itself from reactionary forces and seek dialogue with the government, which is quite willing to cooperate with the Church.

This paper contends that these assertions gravely misrepresent the Nicaraguan situation and would lead to an approach that would greatly weaken the Church there. A stronger strategy is needed--a strategy to unite the Church in Nicaragua to enable it to deal successfully with increasing government pressures.

I. Regarding the first claim, that "the Sandinista government is not a Marxist-Leninist government but a unique blend of Marxism and Christianity--a revolution with a 'human face.'"

What is the true nature of the government that confronts the Nicaraguan Church?

A.

B.

The government's nature has been difficult for
some to assess--

--its claim to be a new kind of revolution
--priests and other Christians in the government
--the government's distribution of Bibles

But, in fact, the Sandinista government is
committed to Marxism-Leninism--

1. This is evident from the Sandinistas' own statements, who explicitly stated it before and after the revolution (appendix 1)

2.

It is evident from their actions, which follow the classic Marxist-Leninist pattern-

a. Full identification of the state and
the party

b.

The creation of a temporary facade of mixed government, giving way in time to one-party rule

C. The foreclosure of free elections as a "bourgeois mechanism"

g.

h.

i.

j.

The formation of partisan local revolutionary
committees for surveillance and control of
the populace, with government powers--

for example, the power to issue ration
coupons

Movement toward the collectivization of
agriculture--

--no land distribution for two years
--former Somoza land not distributed
but appropriated by the state
--under pressure, some land distributed,
but free title not given and farmers
tied into government cooperatives

The brutal handling of recalcitrant ethnic
minorities--

--the treatment of the Miskito people

The alignment of foreign policy with that
of the Soviet Union--

--the statement to that effect, April 1950
--refusal to join UN condemnation of

USSR invasion of Afghanistan

--the banning of criticism of the USSR in the Nicaraguan press

k. Policies inimical to the private business sector, including snall businesses

1.

m.

The formation of government policies and
structures on the Cuban model--

--the educational system

--the ministry of information
--the ministry of the interior
--the armed forces

The constant preaching of class hatred

n. Hostility to the churches (see II, below)

C.

0.

A pattern of double-speak about government intentions-

--in France, Commandante Nunez said that
the government planned free elections,
but in Nicaragua these comments were
censored by the government

--simultaneously government commandantes
spoke opposite messages about the
democratic/Marxist nature of the govern-
ment in West and East Germany (a mistake
which cost the Sandinista regime
some popular support in West Germany)

Two questions remain-

1.

2.

Has not the Sandinista government been
radicalized by the pressure of United States
opposition, which forces the regime to seek
Soviet and Cuban help?

Answer: No-

--the leaders of all three sectors of the F.S.L.N. were explicit Marxists before the revolutionary victory

--only months after the revolution, while still receiving aid from the Carter regime, the Sandinista government declined to condemn the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

--the Sandinista regime aligned its foreign policy with that of the USSR before the cut-off of US aid

--most of the Communist features of the
regime listed in section B-2 above began
early in the Sandinista government

If the Sandinista government is Marxist-
Leninist, what is the explanation of the
presence of Christians in the government and
other signs that the government is not
Communist?

Answer: Under the influence of liberation
theology, some priests and other members of the
Church have become converted to Marxism.

Sandinista priests are not with the government
because the government is Christian but because
the priests have become Marxists (see appendix 2).
This point leads into a consideration of the
next contention.

II.

Regarding the claim that "the current difficulties of the Church do not stem from government hostility to the Church . . ."

What has been the Sandinista government's attitude and policy toward the Church?

As a Marxist-Leninist regime, the Sandinista government aims to impose its ideology on every realm of Nicaraguan life, including religion. For a totalitarian government, anything that does not fully support government policies is viewed as an obstacle to be overcome, destroyed.

However, recognizing the strength of the Church in Nicaragua, the Sandinista regime has decided that it could not succeed in directly attacking the Church. Instead, it has adopted the following strategy for the first phase of its policy toward religion-

A. The government seeks to avoid direct confrontation
with religion. As an internal government memo said:
"To pretend to uproot these (religious) values from
our people, so soon after the revolution, would be
a show of petty bourgeois revolutionism" (appendix).

B.

C.

The government acts first against weaker religious
groups--

--the mobbing and closing of Protestant churches
--the attack on the Miskitos (Moravian Protestants),
who live in an area distant from the national
and international press. (See attached report,
"Persecution of Protestants in Nicaragua.")

The government seeks to replace the religious