Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 3, 1990 TAG: 9003032771
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"It was a surprise even to UNO," the United Nicaraguan Opposition, the coalition that sponsored Chamorro, said Karen Carter, a Daleville minister who witnessed the election.
Carter has just returned from two weeks in Nicaragua, where she was an observer of the first free elections in that country since the Sandinistas took over in 1979. Although Carter believes the results of a 1984 election reaffirming Ortega's leadership were valid, the U.S. government refused to recognize the vote on grounds that it was improperly conducted.
During this election, Carter was one of "hundreds and hundreds" of observers sent from all over the world.
Carter was part of a group of more than 80 representatives sponsored by Witness For Peace, a human-rights organization that has been working in Nicaragua since 1985. Their mission was to ensure that the voting process was "technically clear," and that the procedure and the ballots were not tampered with, she said.
The observers were necessary, she said, "not because Nicaraguans don't trust Nicaraguans," but to eliminate outside influences.
Carter said she had the opportunity to discuss the election with citizens, and most people were sure that the Sandinistas would win. But almost all of them added that no matter which party won, the war needed to stop and the economy needed to be put back together.
"The people were really tired of fighting," she said. "They wanted to reconstruct their country and to have peace."
On the day of the election, Carter and other members of her group made surprise visits to seven polling places in the province of Chontales. She said her team saw nothing illegal.
"There was no intimidation, no evidence of votes being forced" and no illegal marking of ballots, she said. "It was a beautiful process."
When the UNO coalition won with 60 percent of the vote, she saw no celebrations, she said. "It was such a strange election. It was eerie, quiet."
Because the Sandinistas had such a large percentage of the vote, and because UNO consists of groups that include the far left, the far right and everything in between, "there were no real victors," she said.
When Ortega conceded two days later in front of a large crowd, "It was one of the most beautiful speeches I've ever heard," Carter said. Ortega expressed "a good bit of sadness, a good bit of pride."
Nicaraguans are proud that the change of government took place without bloodshed, she said. For the first time Nicaragua has asserted its right as a sovereign nation to determine its own government, she said.
Most of the observers were at a loss to explain Chamorro's victory. The new government has a very tough time ahead of it, she said.
"UNO is a very fragile alliance," and the Sandinistas, on the other hand, "have a very solid vote. They are a force to be reckoned with."
The observers met with Ortega while they were in Nicaragua. Carter believes Ortega will honor the results of the election. "He is a man of integrity," she said.
Forming a successful government "will depend a lot on the U.S. government." The United States needs to end its support of the Contras, lift trade embargoes and begin to "normalize" relations, she said.
by CNB