Nicaragua: Information on whether the police and army are composed primarily of Sandinistas
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | NIC22003.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Nicaragua: Information on whether the police and army are composed primarily of Sandinistas, 1 October 1995, NIC22003.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab5f94.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
This Response adds to the information provided in annual human rights reports, available at your Regional Documentation Centre, and in previous Responses to Information Requests such as NIC17890.E of 27 July 1994, which contains information on changes in the police forces, the degree of Sandinista presence in them, and the existence of police forces constituted by former "contras". Response to Information Request NIC20436.E of 19 May 1995 contains recent statements from a Nicaraguan writer and journalist, from a newspaper known for its anti-Sandinista position, on the continuing Sandinista presence in the military and the police.
The information that follows was provided in a telephone interview by a lawyer at the non-governmental organization Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos (CPDH) in Managua (10 Oct. 1995).
The CPDH lawyer stated that Nicaragua has a single police force. This, however, does not mean that the police force is homogeneous. In some areas where the former "contra" forces had a significant presence and support prior to their demobilization, the police is staffed primarily or to a great extent by former "contras". The Minister of Government (Ministro de Gobernación), who is a non-Sandinista civilian, is responsible for, and has immediate authority over, the entire police force. Both he and the Minister of Defence, who is responsible for the army, are appointed by the President.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos (CPDH), Managua. 10 October 1995. Telephone interview with lawyer.