Activists assemble in a somber demonstration, advocating for the release of imprisoned figure Brooklyn Rivera
Article Reboot
By: John McPhaul Revamped
In the heart of Central America, the grim tale of Brooklyn Rivera, a Miskitu Indigenous leader, unfolds. Silence surrounds his arbitrary detention on September 29, 2023, with no word since; worries about his health and safety linger.
A foe to Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega since the '80s, when Brooklyn led YATAMA guerrillas against the Sandinistas to protect their Atlantic zone land, Brooklyn's unyielding spirit remains a thorn in Ortega's side. Today, Nicaragua dwells under a dictatorship, with mere 15 percent of its citizens approving of Ortega's rule. Dark days of arbitrary detentions, suppressed non-governmental organizations, and threats against exiled dissidents loom under this regime. The UN has labeled the situation as "alarmingly akin to crimes against humanity," yet Ortega countered these accusations, dismissing them as motivated by "Imperialistic powers."
Brooklyn's daughter Tininiska, 34, resides in exile, speaking passionately about her father. "He has always championed our territories, the self-determination for the development of our people in the Autonomous regions of Nicaragua," she explains, "From there, I was forced to flee. After my father's detention, I was dismissed from work, denied medical attention, and had my bank accounts frozen. As a consequence, I was left with no choice but to leave the country."
Tininiska worries for her father's well-being, having gone without news for 14 months. Recently, she presented her testimony to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, also meeting with diplomats from the United States Embassy and representatives from Amnesty International. In a report released on December 16, the latter declared Brooklyn a prisoner of conscience. Despite fears, Tininiska was able to reunite with her family during an August gathering of Indigenous Peoples in Port Arthur, Texas.
Anexa Alfred Cunningham, 45, a Miskitu member of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, collects evidence of the Ortega Murillo dictatorship's depravities in the Miskitia. Regrettably, her recent attempt to return to Nicaragua to continue her work was denied. "When I attempted to return to my homeland, the airline informed me that the government had not granted me entry," Alfred shared with Voice of America. "The feeling is akin to a tree uprooted from the ground – the loss of that connection with your country, your land, and your community."
--John McPhaul is a Costa Rican-American writer,
Additional Insights:
Although a UN panel called the situation "tantamount to crimes against humanity" and Amnesty International has been vocal about the case, no confirmed, up-to-date information about ongoing investigations or international reactions is currently available. For thorough updates, check statements from humanitarian and Indigenous rights organizations or Central American-focused news outlets.
- The ongoing situation in Nicaragua, involving alleged crimes against humanity, as well as the arbitrary detention of Brooklyn Rivera, is a topic of discussion in various spheres, including war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
- Considerable international scrutiny has been directed toward the Ortega Murillo dictatorship in Nicaragua, with the UN, Amnesty International, and other humanitarian and Indigenous rights organizations highlighting the events as potential violations of human rights, a matter of significant concern in the realms of war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice.
