Nicaraguan NGOs Demand Government Action for Covid-19 Prevention
More than one hundred NGOs denounce the State’s inaction regarding Covid-19, a negligence that adds to its crimes against humanity.
HAVANA TIMES – The Nicaraguan Platform of NGO Networks, made up of seven networks and more than 100 non-governmental organizations with a presence throughout the country, warned through a statement that the actions of the Nicaraguan Government before Covid-19 “are aggravated by a series of situations that make our localities more vulnerable, and therefore, many people would be affected.”
The platform notes that the government’s attitude adds to the crimes against humanity committed by the regime against the April Rebellion, in 2018.
The statement exposes a series of conditions that aggravate the situation in Nicaragua for the population in the face of the Covid-19:
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- Concealment of information by the State, generating distrust and uncertainty in the citizenry
- Deliberate strategy of exclusion, secrecy and intimidation of the independent media, whose work is essential to combat Covid-19
- Increasing migration due to the proximity of Easter concerns municipalities and residential areas near the border
- International Airport and seaports remain open to foreigners, including cruises
- Surveillance and paramilitary control in the communities increases the repression
- Irresponsible and reckless disregard by the State for measures of isolation and social distancing, instead promoting massive events and house-to-house visits
- A lack of access to water, and to a greater extent, potable water (1.3 million Nicaraguans), and basic cleaning products such as soap.
“We hold the State responsible for the levels of damage that (the Nicaraguan population may suffer), due to the lack of coherent decisions already recommended by world health platforms and developed by other countries in the region,” they add.
NGOs asked to suspend face-to-face activities until May
The Nicaraguan Platform of NGO Networks summoned its members to:
- Make a public call to the 7227 non-profit organizations, and other expressions of civil society in Nicaragua, to suspend all their face-to-face activities scheduled for March and April 2020, and promote telework to protect their staff and communities
- Make our staff, community promoters and local leaders available to International Development Cooperation and Private Business, to act jointly and decisively in carrying out actions that avoid a calamity in Nicaragua
- Have updated health information resources by the World Health Organization (WHO), so that Nicaraguans abide by all measures of prevention and containment of COVID-19.
- Accompany our beneficiary groups in the communities of our country psychosocially through digital technology.
“The Nicaraguan Platform of NGO Networks believes that these are times to act in coordination with all sectors of society to prevent the spread of Covid-19 throughout the entire national territory,” they reiterated.
The Nicaraguan NGO Network Platform is a meeting place for more than 100 non-governmental organizations, created in 2016, and organized with the intention of: proposing initiatives for human development and strengthening the non-governmental sector; coordinating advocacy with social actors and the Nicaraguan State; collecting and disseminating information to publicize our contributions and position ourselves; sharing experiences and facilitating communication between our organizations, as well as joining forces to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The 7 networks subscribing to the pronouncement are:
1. Network of Women Against Violence (RMCV)
2. Nicaraguan Coordinating Federation of NGOs that works with Children and Adolescents (Codeni)
3. Cocibolca Group
4. Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations of Nicaragua (FONG)
5. Federation of the Nicaraguan Network for Democracy and Local Development (Local Network)
6. Segovian Women’s Movement
7. Forum for Education and Human Development of the Initiative for Nicaragua (Fedh-Ipn)