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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 1983)
Paper fights junta Opposes Sandinista censorship By Debbie Howlett Of the Emerald Emerald editor Debbie Howlett recently returned from an 11-dav trip to Nicaragua. This is the final story in a series of five. For all of the support the Sandinistas are able to show visitors, opposition to the government is easy to find in most areas, and especially from one newspaper. In an effort to prove the Sandinista government is a repressive regime, people point most often — and most noticeably — to censorship of the media, especially the opposition newspaper, La Prensa. La Prensa was, during the Somoza regime, the Sandinista's biggest voice of support. Just prior to the revolution, Somoza had Pedro Chamorro, then editor of La Prensa, gunned down in the street. The killing, which outraged the Nicaraguan people, also left the door open for Chamorro's family to take over publication of La Prensa. But the family became divid ed, and three members of the family could not agree on the editorial stance the paper should take. So they started their own paper. JOINT JOURNALISM Chamorro's brother Xavier edits El Nuevo Diario. Chamarro’s two sons, Pedro Jr. and Carlos, run La Prensa and Barricada. After the Sandinistas took control. La Prensa drifted away from its support of the revolutionaries and is now the only Nicaraguan newspaper to oppose the government. But just how much opposition actually comes out through the newspaper is a sub ject for debate. Roberto Cardenal, assistant editor of La Prensa, says up to 20 percent of the news is censored. He holds a manila file folder, about three inches thick, full of Xerox copies of censored articles. WE GET DISCOURAGED' "We get discouraged," Cardenal says. "I used to write editorials. Now I don't. They get censored." But editorials are not the only things cen sored by the government. Several reporters from Oregon watched as the communiques from the Communica tions Ministry came back to the editorial of fices. An editorial column, written by Tom Wicker for the New York Times News Ser vice, received minimal changes. The words anti-Sandinistas and insurgents were ordered changed to contra-revolutionaries. Three photos and captions were banned altogether from publication. Two of the photos were of busses — one of which showed too old a bus, the other, too crowd ed a bus. Cardenal says the Sandinistas are definitely "interested in keeping (La Prensa) alive" so that the government can point to the paper as an example of their tolerance for opposition. But Cardenal says the paper always has the option to run a different news story. "If the meaning of the article is changed we will scrap the whole piece," Cardenal says. SANDINISTA CONTROL And Cardenal has, like most editors, strong political opinions about the government. He believes there is a tremendous power struggle going on in the Sandinista junta, the official body of Nicaragua. "I'd pay to be in a meeting where they are close together and making a decision," Cardenal says. Cardenal is also concerned about the veracity of the elections. The Sandinistas own and control both television stations operating in Nicaragua. The government also provides a large amount of financial backing for both the Barricada and El Nuevo Diario. "What kind of election can you have when the media is in the hands of the FSLN?" Cardenal asks. PRIVATE CONCERNS If freedom of the press is not allowed, freedom of speech is guaranteed, accor Continued on Page 8 CARLOS f. CHAMORRO B. Swb-Director XAVIIR RCYIS A. 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I« AL SERVICIO DE LA VEROAD Y LA JUST'ClJ Managua, SAbado 10 de Septlembre de 1983 Sin l.ihrrtad dr Prrnsa n<> hat l.ihrriud TKI.KX 37$-Ml (>34« 10 PAGINAS EDICION No. M.7N Informan que derribaron avion Repeien atoque aereo a Gbalsa Trope* dal EJ4rctto Popular Sandtnuta. acantona da* «n la baar mill [or d* Cibaiiu *n el Deporlamenlo de Diva*, repelleron un alaque u*rro unochr. mjar mb hoy el Mmnwrio d« Defenta El tubcomandanlr Roberto Sdnchet. ;eft de Rela none* Publico* del E PS. dijo qur el mtento de atoque te produjo a eeo de Ian nete de la noche por parte de I ret avion** no idmti/lcodo* que llegaron con p race dencia del etpac 10 a«r*o coatarriern**' El anunclo fue hoc ha por el importable funcionario milltar, deepu*i qu* la o/lcina a su cargo injormara del dorribamlento de olra a*ronav# ocurrido a yet miimo ruondo 'ealuabu maniobra* de apoyo a lo* frupo* rontrarr«voiuc‘onarlo* qw operan en aquella El alto milltar Iftformd oyer del alaque al Pur-t de Corinta. en que doe avionee de combat* T 2*. bon bardvorun el d'ea donde eitdn lot lanqur* dr cut buitlbl*. de lot cualet roeultaron dot con d a no* I* »*M • I* »*q 10 Ma Ante Grupo Contsdora Costa Rica propone base para la paz de Centroamerica El imulmlr e* *1 train d* rrunmnra dr cancillerea con prrugu* la d*mocr*cl» minor su dt-Mnar pnliiu I* prnpumt* de <t*l* Rica voradas por el «rupo dr rrprratntativa Drnanu librrmrni. »m Hmitm »m our nrraento *1 mimatro dr hum* vnlunfart Itamarfn dr "»'» «r rrrwrrian la* yilrrnas m mm-rt-m us • '.a Prensa is the only newspaper in Nicaragua that openly opposes the government. Robert Cray Band! Ballroom 9:00-11:30 p.m. Experience the Robert Cray Band. Dance to the West Coast s premiere "rhythm and blues" band. A Cultural Forum event. $ 1.00 at the door. Recreation Center 6:00-11:30 p.m. half price billiards and bowling, free shoes rental. FREE Refreshments. And our Feature Event: Video Game Tournament. Craft Center 7:00-9:00 p.m. We ll have demonstrations in studio areas of the center, the main lobby and the Main Desk area. Sign up for drawings on prizes that include ceramic mugs, two memberships and a workshop. Entry forms available all day. demonstrations and visit with hosts from 20 competitive clubs. 167 EMU. Outdoor Programs 8:00-10:00 p.m. Come see an exciting multi-media slide show followed by a discussion of outdoor recreation available through the program. Outdoor Program Room, basement of EMU. Main Lobby 8:00-10:00 p.m. Refreshments, EMU Food Service. Our EMU slide show will run continuously. Main Desk 8:00-11:30 p.m. Free Check Cashing! Free Popcorn! Free coupons good for 10% discount from sales area. And buy a Monster Cookie for only 25* while they last. ASUO Suite 4 7-9 p.m. Student Government Free Reception.
