This is the Commission composed of Catholic Bishops asked by Pres. Ortega to play this role. This is their report after the first work sessions of the committees called for in the meeting of the National Dialogue on June 16th. The Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy issued their own statement here
MEDIATION AND WITNESS COMMISSION OF THE NATIONAL DIALOGUE
PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 18, 2018
After receiving the official minutes of our secretary in the Verification and Security Commission, the Electoral Roundtable, and the Judicial Roundtable, the Mediation and Witness Commission of the National Dialogue informs the national and international community the following:
- Verification and Security Commission:
1.1 The Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy requests the physical presentation of the invitation letters done by the Government of the Republic to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union. Without this evidence, it is considered that there are no conditions to open the work session nor to install the Verification and Security Commission.
1.2 The Government Commission requests that the work plan of the day be presented, while a response is given to the request of the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy, and that the presentations of the letters not become a requirement to install the Verification and Security Commission.
Mons. Carlos Avilés, representative of the Mediation and Witness Commission, submitted both proposals to a vote. Neither received a consensus. Therefore the session was ended at 12:00 noon.
- Electoral Roundtable
Mons. Miguel Mántica, representative of the Mediation and Witness Commission presented the work index. Prior to the development of the agenda, the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy requested the physical presentation of the invitation letters done by the Government of Nicaragua to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union. Without that evidence, it was determined the conditions did not exist to open the work session, nor to install the Electoral Commission.
This request was done based on the agreements of the Plenary session of June 15, 2018.
The Government Commission reported that due to the fact that there are no conditions in the country and for internal procedures required, it has not been possible to make those requests.
Therefore the session was adjourned at 12:20 in the afternoon.
- Judicial Roundtable:
The members of the JUDICIAL COMMISSION of the National Dialogue concluded the following:
3.1 That both delegations recognize the levels of violence in the country and the need to install as soon as possible the Verification and Security Commission which would help the pacification of the country.
3.2 That for lack of consensus to discuss the democratization index: resignation, reduction amd new periods for the Magistrate of the Supreme Court presented by the Mediation and Witness Commission to the Judicial Roundtable, Fr. Pablo Antonio Villafranca, representative of the Mediation and Witness Commission suspended the session at 11:20am
Therefore, the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua agrees to request the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua to urgently send as soon as possible the official and formal invitation to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union to be installed in the country, all in accordance with the agreement that both parties made on Friday June 15 of this year in the National Dialogue. In addition we consider to be vitally important to also urgently request to the IACHR, to send technical consultants for the Verification and Security Commission. These invitations would unquestionably help that it begin to work on the social stability of Nicaragua.
When the Government of the Republic sends us the copies of those invitations and the international organizations transmit to us the reception of those invitations, we will make them known to the national and international community to immediately convoke the Work roundtables and consequently the Plenary of the National Dialogue.
We continue calling out to the people of God to continue praying for our Country.
Issued in our offices, on the eighteenth day of the month of June of 2018.
[Signatures of the Bishop members of the Mediation and Witness Commission]