The CW Wm Bernard Sanders Mayor November 8, 1985 Edward M. Pike 25 Elmwood Avenue Apartment 18 Burlington, Vermont 05401 Dear Mr. Pike: 1985. I apologize Thank you very much for your letter of October 18, for the delay in responding. It's my View that the point you make regarding Nicaragua and the temporary suspension of certain civil liberties is considerably more complex than your letter indicates. Nicaragua, a tiny and impoverished nation of three million, is today fighting a brutal war with their enemy being totally financed by the most powerful nation on earth. The democratically?elected government of Nicaragua has made the decision will not allow like many other countries engaged in war, the to defeat them and destroy their govern- that, as an example the situation their enemy the total freedo ment. President Ortega recently use in Chile in 1973 when President Allende's democratically-elected government was overthrown by the CIA and the military. Allende was murdered, tens of thousands of Chileans were killed and tortured and that nation today, twelve years later, continues to live under a brutal military dictatorship wit President Ortega and the Nicaraguan government have no democratic rights. chosen not to follow that example. tory, one recalls that within the context of our own his azi's were not given the freedom to Further, American radio in order to advocate the murder during World War II, publish newspapers or appear on of American soldiers. In fact, tutional manner: thousands of Japanese Americans on the west coast 6 herded into concentration camps as a war time protection measure ht thousands of miles from California. 11 recall that in order to preserve the ns which limited as you'll recall~in a totally unconsti- wer - and the war was being foug During the Civil War, you wi Union, President Lincoln developed a number of actio civil liberties. . concern about Nicaragua is, frankly, not whether people think tithe Nicaraguan government iS a good or bad government or whether president Ortega has done the right thing in this action. To me, the overriding issue is whether or not the United States has the unilateral right to go to war and destroy a government that President Reagan and members of Congress dislike. Once again, thank you for writing. Sincerely Yours, Bernard Sanders Mayor BS:st 2L 2 . 2:3; :3 Eg1p?,7 22 an? that 1 . Linn?: aft?wt 2.5 2.22 2.22.4.2? mist- in "a ?nu-imam mam 1 October 18, 1985 The Honorable Bernard Sanders Mayor's Office City Hall Burlington, VT 05401 Dear Mayor Sanders, I have been following, The current political climate in Nicaragua. suprising that the Sandinista government, a self?proclaimed champion of human rights, has found it necessary, or politically to resort to the tactics of the Somoza regime to with a great degree of interest, I find it quite convienient, control its population. Correct me if I am wrong, government which invited you to visit, and which you declared Mayor Sanders, this is the same was governing its citizens in accordance with basic human and civil rights, rights that were recently revoked by Daniel Ortega. If you consider yourself a true civil libertarian, and I pre- 1 think that it is high time for you to eat sume that you do, crow, and realize that this government is but another in a long line of dictatorships whose only true concern is the length of its stay in power. In addition, the designation of Puerto Cabezas as Burling? ton's sister city should be rescinded. Otherwise, this entire city, with you as its mayor, will be supporting a regime with no concern for civil rights. I, for one, Mayor Sanders, cannot abide such a relationship. Sincerely, on 221985 - Edward M. Pike Burlington cc: Burlington Free Press