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From: michael@iris.berkeley.edu (Tom Slone [(415)486-5954])
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Technical Travel to Nicaragua, Update #4
Message-ID: <1337@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Thu, 25-Sep-86 14:38:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: jade.1337
Posted: Thu Sep 25 14:38:57 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Sep-86 03:09:35 EDT
References: <1315@jade.BERKELEY.EDU> <143@cod.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@jade.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: michael@iris.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Tom Slone [(415)486-5954])
Organization: tecNICA
Lines: 28

In article <143@cod.UUCP> rupp@cod.UUCP (William L. Rupp) writes:
>In article <1315@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>, michael@iris.berkeley.edu (Tom Slone [(415)486-5954]) writes:
>> 
>> tecNICA is an organization which provides technical expertise to the country of
>> Nicaragua.  Typically, a volunteer will pay her/his own airfare to Nicaragua,
>> work for 2 weeks at a host agency in Managua and be given room and board by the
>
>	Why just Nicaragua?

tecNICA was formed during the Carter administration when the U.S. was
not openly hostile to Nicaragua.  It was believed that the new
government in Nicaragua was the only one in Central America which had
any hope of providing reforms so badly needed in the region -- both
land reform and human rights.  There was also an exodus of
Somoza-cronies, some of whom had technical expertise.  A need was seen,
and tecNICA was formed to fill it.  There has been talk within tecNICA
of broadening the scope to other countries, but as with any
not-for-profit organization, funding is always short.

>A truly non-partisan and non-biased group should be able to get along
>with authoritarian regimes of both left and right.

Reactionary regimes have a vested interest in the status quo.
Groups which give aid desire change.

michael@ucbiris.berkeley.edu	michael%ucbiris@berkeley.arpa
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