civil defence brigades set up with the religious cover of the event, marched with a Bible under his arm.
On the other side of town in the working-class neighborhood of Monseaor Lezcano, the attitude toward defending the country from imperialist attack is quite different.
In a march there two days later, a
This article is taken from the Novem- more than 20 years, it was the first CDS ber 4 issue of The Militant, a weekly meeting they had attended.
New York, newspaper published in reflecting the views of the Socialist
Workers Party in the United States.
Neither of them sang the Sandinista hymn at the close of the meeting, but one told the Militant: "I support the defense measures taken by the government, and I wanted to find out what to do in public funeral for seven Managua reservists killed recently in fighting in the north, some 3,000 marched through the streets chanting support for the revolutionary government and for military service.
The main speaker at the funeral was
Michael BAUMANN
Trage hat sort onion told
MANAUGA, Nicaragua — "Civil de- Military Service were distributed at a tude toward the revolution. Their bombs don't distinguish between Sandinistas and non-Sandinistas."
This was the message of one of the block's two Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) members to a CDS meeting October 18 in barrio La Reforma, a middle-class neighborhood in northwest Managua.
The CDSs - Sandinista Defense Comthe 600-strong neighborhood case of an attack."
Leaflets urging opposition to Patriotic march of several thousand in a wealthy suburb south of Managua October 9. The march was sponsored by the Catholic church hierarchy, supposedly to mark a religious holiday.
The real aim of the march organizers was shown by the leaflets. They called for "conscientious objection" - the tactie the Catholic church hierarchy in opposing the new conscription law.
Father Fernando Cardenal, FSLN adviser to the Sandinista Youth.
Referring to the march of the church hierarchy, Cardenal blasted "religious manipulation" as a "weapon used by the counterrevolution that can be more damaging than a bomb."
Cardenal then asked the mourners, "What do you say to the rich who are country to avoid military "Que se vayan!" the crowd shouted back. ("Good riddance!")
In response to the need for a larger army, in the first 10 days of October mittees, committees that are a major part of Nicaragua's defense - have been organizing meetings block by block throughout the country. There is an increasing responsibility on Nicaraguan militia (DR)
Top priority is to organize civil defense to confront the new stage of war that was opened with the recent U.S.organized bombing of the country's main oil depot in the northern port city of Corinto.
"No one should make any mistake," the Sandinista Front members said. "Reagan intends to try to stop the Sandinista revolution.
"The bombing of Corinto threatened the lives of 25,000 civilians. It is an example of what they intend to do to the rest of the country....If you're going to stay in Nicaragua, you'd better learn what to do when the bombs begin to fall."
Following an outline by the block's CDS coordinator of the tasks to be carried out, three committees were set up that night.
One is to begin immediately to learn first aid. Another was set up to take care of the block's 19 children when an attack comes. The third took responsibility for and clean-up operations after a bombing. A fourth committee, fire fight- rescue ers, will be established after the block's volunteer finishes a special three-day course being given on a crash basis by the city's fire department.
The meeting was attended by some 30 people, about a third of the adult residents of the block, and was the largest this CDS had ever held.
For at least two of those present, older women who had lived on the block for
International Viewpoint 14 November 1983
When a small group of prorevolutionary Catholics showed up with placards pointing out that nothing in Christian teaching prevents a country from organ-
- 33 percent of the projected total for the month - signed up at registration centers.
17
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NICARAGUA
The new military service law, passed by the Council of State September 13.
requires all male citizens between the ages
200,000 this will provide, 15,000 will be selected for two-years service in the Sandinista People's Army.
worked slower than the others. This was discussed in the which all the women participate. It has y Intone 22 to register conscription Registe
Registration has been under way since
- The afternoons are important for educa-
There is a cycle of vocational
Right now there is a course in shirt sewing, although with other forms of education.
One of the women is in