Rejoinder of the Republic of Nicaragua

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Rejoinder of the Republic of Nicaragua INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISPUTE REGARDING NAVIGATIONAL AND RELATED RTGIHTS (COSTA RICA V. NICARAGUA) REJOINDER OF THE REPUBLIC OF NICARAGUA 15 JULY 2008 VOLUME I CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 SECTIONI . POINTSOF AGREEMENT........................................................................................ 2 SECTIONI1. REMAINING POINTSOF DISAGREEMENT............................................................... 6 SECTION m . STRUCTURE OF THE REJOLNDER ..................................................................18 CHAPTER 1I:THE APPLICABLE LAW ..................................................................................21 SECTIONI. THECHARACTEROFTHE~~~~TREATYASATREA?I(OFBO~ARDES.............21 A . Introduction ................................................................................................................. 21 B . The Legal and Historical Context of The 1858 Treaty ................................................ 23 C. Admissions by Costa Rica ............................................................................................ 28 D . The Applicable Principles of Interpretation ................................................................ 29 E . The Application of the General Rule of Interpretation to the Treaty of Limits ............ 31 1. The Object and Purpose Indicated in the Text of the Treaty ................................................. 37 (a) The Title and the Preamble................................................................................................ 37 (b) The Provisions of the Treaty ............................................................................................. 38 (c) The General Character of the Treaty of 1858 as Revealed in the Diplomatic Correspondence and Negotiations Subsequent to the Treaty of 1858..................................... 41 (d) The Object and Purpose as Revealed in the Cleveland Award of 22 March 1888 and the Report to the Arbitrator by George L . Rives, Assistant Secretary of State, of 2 March 1888 ... 42 F . The Role of Inter-Temporal Law in the Present Case .................................................43 1. First Element of Confusion ..................................................................................................... 43 2 . Second Element of Confusion ................................................................................................ 45 3 . Third Element of Confusion ................................................................................................... 46 G. The Primary Object and Purpose of The 1858 Treaty as a Treaty of Limits: The Legal Consequences........................................................................................................................ 48 1. The Theses of Costa Rica Concerning Treaty Interpretation................................................. 48 2 . The Response of Costa Rica to the Analysis Presented in the Counter-Memorial ............... 50 H . Conclusion: The Primary Object and Purpose of the 1858 Treaty was the DeJinitive Settlement of a Long-standing Dispute Concerning Title to Territory ................................. 57 SECTIONI1 . THEROLE OF GENERALINTERNATIONAL LAWAND OTHERPARTICULAR RULES........................................................................................................ 60 A . The Treaty Prevails: The Contingent and Secondary Relevance of General International Law .................................................................................................................. 61 B . Other Applicable Rules................................................................................................ 68 1. Relevant Customary Rules .................................................. ................................................... 68 2 . The "Instnunents" Invoked by Costa Rica ............................................................................. 71 (a) The 1956 Fournier-Sevilla Agreement.......................................................................... 72 (b) The 1995 Cuadra-Castro Joint CommuniquC .................................................................... 74 (c) The 1998 Cuadra-Lizano Joint CommuniquC .................................................................. 77 3 . The 1916 Judgment of the Central American Court of Justice .............................................. 79 SECTION111 . THESCOPE OF THE CLEVELANDAWARD ....................................................... 81 A . The Cleveland Award Limited Costa Rica's Rights to Navigate the Sun Juan with Public Vessels ....................................................................................................................... 82 B . The Meaning of "Con Objetos de Comercio" Was Not Decided in the Cleveland Award ................................................................................................................................... -89 C. Conclusion................................................................................................................... 93 CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................ 93 CHAPTER IH: THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF COSTA RICA'S RIGHT TO NAVIGATE "CON OBJETOS DE COMERCIO" ......................................................................99 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... -99 SECTIONI . INTERPRETATIONOF THE 1858 TREATYOF LIMITSACCORDING TO THX VIENNA CONVENTIONON THE LAWOF TREATIES................................................................................. 102 A . The Language of the Treaty with Respect to Costa Rica 'sNavigation Rights .......... 102 B . The Object andpupose of Costa Rica's Navigation Rights Under the Treaty......... 107 1. Costa Rica's Need for a Trade Route to the Atlantic ........................................................... 108 (a) The Inadequacy of Existing Trade Routes ...................................................................... 110 (b) The Idea of the San Juan Route ....................................................................................... 113 (c) Negotiations with Nicaragua over the San Juan River prior to the 1858 Treaty ............ 116 2 . Article VI of the 1858 Treaty in Its Historical Context ....................................................... 128 3 . Early Practice of the Parties under the Treaty of 1858 ........................................................ 130 (a) The Fate of the SarapiquV San Juan Trade Route ........................................................... 130 (b) The Two Treaties of 1868 ............................................................................................... 133 (c) Costa Rica's Written Submissions to President Cleveland ............................................ 135 (d) The Alexander Award of 1897 ........................................................................................ 136 4 . "Comercio" as Understood in 1858 Meant Trade in Goods ................................................ 139 (a) Contemporaneous Dictionary Definitions ....................................................................... 140 (b) Contemporaneous Usages ............................................................................................... 141 (c) The Full Text of Article VI Makes Clear That "Comercio" Means Trade in Goods ..... 144 (d) The Nineteenth Century Treaties and Documents Cited by Costa Rica in the Reply .... 147 SECTION11 . THETREATY DOES NOT E~OWER COSTA RICA To PERFORMPASSENGER OR OTHERSERVICES. NOR DOES IT HAVEAN EVOLUTIONARYCHARACTER ................................ 151 A . The Evidence Concerning Passenger Trafic ............................................................151 B . The Parties Did Not Give the 1858 Treaty an Evolutionaly Character .................... 155 CHAPTER W:THE REASONABLENESS OF NICARAGUA'S REGULATION OF NAVIGATION ON THE SAN JUAN RlTTER .........................................................................159 SECTIONI . COSTARICA'S NAVIGATION ON THE RIVERIS SUBJECTTO REASONABLE NAVIGATION"CON OBJETOS DE COMERCIO~" AND NICARAGUA'SNON-INTERFERENCE WITH A . Environmental Protection.......................................................................................... 179 1. Protected Areas ..................................................................................................................... 180 (a) The Indio Maiz Biological Reserve and San Juan River Wildlife Refuge ..................... 182 (b) The San Juan River - Nicaragua Biosphere Reserve .......................................... 186 2 . Regional and International Environmental Commitments................................................... 187 3 . Management and Protection of the Reserves ....................................................................... 189 4 . Illegal Logging ...................................................................................................................... 191 5 . Illegal Hunting and Fishing .................................................................................................. 194 6. Illegal Occupation of Protected Land ................................................................................... 196 7 . Nicaragua's Regulations Are Necessary To Protect the Environment ...............................
Recommended publications
  • Otilio Ulate and the Traditional Response to Contemporary Political Change in Costa Rica
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1977 Otilio Ulate and the Traditional Response to Contemporary Political Change in Costa Rica. Judy Oliver Milner Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Milner, Judy Oliver, "Otilio Ulate and the Traditional Response to Contemporary Political Change in Costa Rica." (1977). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 3127. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/3127 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image.
    [Show full text]
  • Costa Rica Is the Most Politically Stable Country with the Greatest Possibilities for Institutional Strengthening in Central America
    Proposal for a venue for the next ILGA World Conference Who presents it Mulabi/ Latin American Space for Sexualities and Rights Political context Costa Rica is the most politically stable country with the greatest possibilities for institutional strengthening in Central America. Although the fiscal deficit is considerable, its biodiversity and geography make it an attractive place for foreign investment and for migration from other neighboring countries with greater economic and political challenges. Costa Rica has a solid normative framework in matters of fundamental rights enshrined in its Political Constitution and in its adherence to international human rights treaties and conventions. Derived from these constitutional obligations, the state has developed public policies in sectors such as health and education and works to eliminate discrimination in the public sector and guarantee access to justice and decent work for the LGBTI population. Some of these examples are the latest decrees and guidelines signed by the President of the Republic that benefit the BGLT population, both national and migrant. The current president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, delves into his policy of inclusion of diversity. Last December, he recognized gender identity in residence cards and granted immigration status to binational couples. In addition, it facilitated access to housing bonds for same-sex couples. Last week, in a decree against homophobia published in the official gazette La Gaceta, the president proposed to extend the celebration of May 17 to include bisexual people as victims of biphobia, which were previously not contemplated. As of 2018, the governing government created the figure of the LGBTI Commissioner, an advisor belonging to the Executive Power and who will receive the reports of each Institution, as well as work on the pending issues in Human Rights of the LGBTI population in Costa Rica.
    [Show full text]
  • Morality, Equality and National Identity in Carmen Lyra's Cuentos De Mi Tía Panchita
    MORALITY, EQUALITY AND NATIONAL IDENTITY IN CARMEN LYRA'S CUENTOS DE MI TÍA PANCHITA by CATHERINE ELIZABETH BROOKS A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of MA by Research Department of Modern Languages, College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham February 2017 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This study argues that Lyra used Cuentos de mi tía Panchita as a vehicle to promote her socio-educational vision, whilst also endorsing a distinctive national identity and strong moral messages. Stories are examined for themes including Costa Rican national identity and the author's political ideology with particular reference to morality, and gender and class equality. Subversion of moral and patriarchal values is also explored. Moral contradictions are identified and discussed, leading to the conclusion that Lyra's work includes examples of both positive and negative behaviour. It is suggested that Lyra does not differentiate character traits or domestic situations based on gender stereotypes; her characters are equals. Furthermore, although some stories include various socio-economic groups, they also feature characters that transcend the different social classes.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT Origins of Democracy in Costa Rica and Nicaragua David Lewis Pottinger Director: Dr. Lizbeth Souza-Fuertes, Ph.D. an In
    ABSTRACT Origins of Democracy in Costa Rica and Nicaragua David Lewis Pottinger Director: Dr. Lizbeth Souza-Fuertes, Ph.D. An incredible disparity exists between the current political state of affairs in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Costa Rica is a stable democracy with a high rate of development for its region, while Nicaragua is widely considered to be drifting towards authoritarianism and is one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere. This begs the question: what could possibly account for this divide? After all, Costa Rica and Nicaragua share many aspects of culture and geography. Although the broadness of this question means that innumerable answers could be given, this thesis will attempt to demonstrate that a single factor primarily accounts for these differences: the contrasting outcomes of the “Liberal Reform” period (1821-1909) for the two nations. While Costa Rica began pursuing reforms early and gradually, and was largely free from foreign intervention, Nicaragua was repeatedly stymied in its efforts to modernize, both by internal strife and interference from the United States. APPROVED BY DIRECTOR OF HONORS THESIS: ______________________________________________________ Dr. Lizbeth Souza-Fuertes. Department of Latin-American Studies APPROVED BY THE HONORS PROGRAM: __________________________________________________________________ Dr. Elizabeth Corey, Director DATE: ____________________ ORIGINS OF DEMOCRACY IN COSTA RICA AND NICARAGUA A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Program By David Lewis Pottinger Waco, Texas April 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments . iii Chapter One: An Introduction to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Their Shared History . 1 Chapter Two: Reform vs. Anarchy . 13 Chapter Three: Coffee, Foreign Interventionism, and Zelaya.
    [Show full text]
  • The Institutional Foundations of Democratic Cooperation in Costa Rica*
    The Institutional Foundations of Democratic Cooperation in Costa Rica* FABRICE EDOUARD LEHOUCQ Abstract. Costa Rica's long-term standing as one of the few countries in Latin America with a stable democracy has prompted many to view its polity as an inevitable outcome of a racially homogeneous and relatively egalitarian society. Without ignoring the importance of sociological factors, this article contends that institutional arrangements played an equally important — if not more central — role in the development of a stable democratic regime in this country. The structure of Costa Rican presidentialism encouraged incumbents to maintain control of the state while it, as a consequence, incited the opposition to rebel against central state authorities. Political competition became more peaceful as parties that failed to hold or to capture the presidency were nevertheless compensated by being allowed to occupy legislative seats. Along with Chile and Uruguay, Costa Rica is a country where a nineteenth-century republican system was gradually transformed into a fully-fledged democracy. At different times during the nineteenth century, politicians in these countries began to eschew the use of violence to obtain control of the state. As they began to compete for public offices in regularly scheduled elections, they also negotiated agreements to expand the franchise and to curtail the practice of electoral fraud. Why did politicians in Costa Rica decide to respect the results of the ballot box? Why did they create stable democratic institutions? Prevailing interpretations contend that the democratisation of the Costa Rican polity was inevitable. Some focus on the alleged democratic nature of Costa Rican political culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural, Educational, and Historical Origins of Costa Rican and Nicaraguan Intercultural Conflict
    Fick UW-L Journal of Undergraduate Research XI (2008) Cultural, Educational, and Historical Origins of Costa Rican and Nicaraguan Intercultural Conflict Kathryn J. Fick Faculty Sponsors: Mark Malisa, Department of Educational Studies; Victor Macías- González, Department of History ABSTRACT This study analyzed how Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans construct national stereotypes as represented by their respective school curricula, and the ways these stereotypes contribute to intercultural conflict. Through an ethnographic study, I assessed the impact of history textbooks, common discourse, and everyday practices in the two countries on culture, identity, and stereotypes while analyzing how they are imbued with unexamined assumptions. INTRODUCTION Imagine a diverse community where every person treats his or her fellow human beings with respect. As we know, many human beings live in this depicted harmony. They may not agree on every issue, but they live without discriminating. However, in most pluralistic societies, prejudice exists that hinders the opinions of the citizens in the community. These biases often transpire into the foundation of conflict between the people of the society. Such intercultural conflict is defined as the perceived or actual incompatibility of values, norms, processes, or goals between a minimum of two cultures over content, identity, relational, and procedural issues.1 This conflict is exacerbated due to the search for identity through individualism, collectivism and nationalism. Although generally not detrimental to those involved, intercultural conflict can and has led to unequal treatment and discrimination between two or more cultures. Nationalism is a concept that promotes strong values and patriotism, in turn, uniting a community. In his book Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson suggests that nations are “imagined political communities” because, however committed the community feels to each other, the reality is that most of the people will never meet, much less hear of each other; yet, they all imagine themselves as one people.
    [Show full text]
  • @Epsycampbell @Epsycampbellbarr H.E. Epsy Campbell Barr Vice
    H.E. Epsy Campbell Barr Vice President of Costa Rica Epsy Campbell Barr is the current Vice President of the Republic of Costa Rica (2018- 2022), the first Afro-descendant woman in front of this high position in the American continent, Afro-Costa Rican leader, two times representative to the Congress of Costa Rica (2002- 2006; 2014-2018) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018). She has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the most powerful women Latin America and the Caribbean (2019); by “Estrategias & Negocios” Magazine as one of the most influential women in the region (2019); by the the African Renaissance and the Diaspora Network (ARDN) as one the most relevant Afro-descendants leaders in the American continent (2019); and by the @epsycampbell Organization Most Influential People of African descent (MIPAD) as one of the most @EpsyCampbellBarr important women around the world. Before becoming Vice President, she was a human rights activist on issues related to women, indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, human development, social inclusion and the environment. She was coordinator of the Afro-Latin American Women and Afro-Caribbean Network; coordinator of the Women’s Forum for Integration in Central America; founding member of the Afro-Costa Rican Women’s Center and international consultant. She was the promoter of the approval in Costa Rica of the Inter-American Convention against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance (2016); member of the Committee who prepared the “Human Development Report for Latin America and the Caribbean Multidimensional Progress ” (2016) coordinated by UNDP; director of more than fifteen international investigations and author of 20 publications on social inclusion.
    [Show full text]
  • Young-Participants-1983-37969-600
    INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY TWENTY-THIRD SESSION 6th to 21st JULY 1983 Published by the International Olympic Committee Château de Vidy, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland © 1985 INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY REPORT OF THE TWENTY-THIRD SESSION 6th to 21st JULY 1983 ANCIENT OLYMPIA IOC COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY President Mr. Mohammed MZALI Prime Minister of Tunisia IOC member in Tunisia Vice-President Professor Nikolaos NISSIOTIS IOC member in Greece Members Mrs. Flor ISAVA FONSECA IOC member in Venezuela Mr. Wlodzimierz RECZEK IOC member in Poland Mr. Giorgio de STEFANI IOC member in Italy Mr. Ahmed D. TOUNY IOC member in Egypt H. E. Mr. Mohamed ZERGUINI IOC member in Algeria Mrs. Monique BERLIOUX Director of the IOC Mr. Francesco GNECCHI-RUSCONE Representative of the IFs President of the International Archery Federation Mr. Marian RENKE Representative of the NOCs Secretary General of the Association of National Olympic Committees 7 EPHORIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY President Professor Nikolaos NISSIOTIS IOC member in Greece Member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Professor of the University of Athens 1st Vice-President Dr. Kleanthis PALEOLOGOS Honorary Director of the National Academy of Physical Education Bronze Medal of the Olympic Order 2nd Vice-President Mr. Vassilis HADZIGIANNIS Member of the HOC President of the Hellenic Football Federation Dean Dr. Otto SZYMICZEK President of the International Track and Field Coaches Association Bronze Medal of the Olympic Order Members Mr. George ANDEADIS Member of the HOC Mr. Athanassios TZARTZANOS Member of the HOC Mr. Nikolaos YALOURIS Director of Antiquities at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Sciences Director Mrs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Movement Against CAFTA in Costa Rica
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2014 "A New Way of Doing Politics": The Movement against CAFTA in Costa Rica Jeremy Rayner Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/97 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] “A New Way of Doing Politics” The Movement Against CAFTA in Costa Rica by Jeremy Rayner A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2014 © 2014 Jeremy Rayner All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Professor David Harvey Date Chair of Examining Committee Professor Gerald Creed Date Executive Officer Professor Marc Edelman Professor Katherine Verdery Supervisory Committee Professor David Nugent Outside Reader The City University of New York iii Abstract A New Way of Doing Politics: The Movement against CAFTA in Costa Rica by Jeremy Rayner Advisor: David Harvey In October of 2007, Costa Ricans voted in a referendum to ratify a Free Trade Agreement with the United States (DR-CAFTA, or CAFTA). The first referendum in their nation’s history— and the first referendum ever held on a Free Trade Agreement—marked the culmination of a cycle of contention over liberalization that transformed practices and expectations of politics in a country often considered an exemplar of representative democracy.
    [Show full text]
  • Matica Makedonska Skopje, 2009 NAME DISPUTE
    PREFACE NAME DISPUTE BETWEEN GREECE AND MACEDONIA STUDENT PROJECT) ( Editors: Svetomir Shkaric Dimitar Apasiev Vladimir Patchev Matica Makedonska Skopje, 2009 1 NAME DISPUTE BETWEEN GREECE AND MACEDONIA (STUDENT PROJECT) Published by Matica Ìàêåäînska [email protected] About the Publisher Rade Siljan Project Leaders Prof. Svetomir Shkaric Ph.D. Prof. Tatjana Petrushevska Ph.D. Editors Svetomir Shkaric Dimitar Apasiev Vladimir Patchev Printed by Makedonija The student project “Name dispute between Greece and Macedonia” was approved by the Teachers’ Council of the Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus” from Skopje, with the Resolution No. 02-300/6 from May 05, 2008. 2 PREFACE I had the chance to see works of Macedonian art, beautiful icons and ceramics from Ohrid and other places. I am especially touched by the survival of Macedonia, which has been surrounded by stronger neighbors for centuries… Martin Bernal April 2009 3 NAME DISPUTE BETWEEN GREECE AND MACEDONIA (STUDENT PROJECT) 4 PREFACE CONTENTS P R E F A C E ...................................................................................................... 9 INTRODUCTION ATTRACTIVENESS OF MACEDONIA TO STUDENT SPIRIT...................................................................................... 17 M A C E D O N I A ................................................................................... 19 PART ONE DISPUTE OVER THE NAME MACEDONIA WITH GREECE ........................................................................................ 23 1 HISTORICAL DIMENSION OF THE
    [Show full text]
  • 17Th SESSION of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of IUCN and 17Th TECHNICAL MEETING
    International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 17th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IUCN AND 17th TECHNICAL MEETING San José, Costa Rica 1-10 February 1988 PROCEEDINGS 17th SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IUCN and 17th IUCN TECHNICAL MEETING San José, Costa Rica 1-10 February 1988 PROCEEDINGS International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 1988 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources 1988 ISBN 2-88032-980-9 FOREWORD The General Assembly, comprising delegates of the members of IUCN, is the policy-forming organ of the Union and meets in ordinary session every three years to perform the functions conferred on it by the Statutes. Since the inaugural meeting at Fontainebleau, France in 1948, the General Assembly has met in Brussels, Belgium (1950), Caracas, Venezuela (1952); Copenhagen, Denmark (1954); Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (1956); Athens, Greece (1958); Warsaw, Poland (1960); Nairobi, Kenya (1963); Lucerne, Switzerland (1966); New Delhi, India (1969); Banff, Canada (1972); Kinshasa, Zaire (1975); Ashkhabad, USSR (1978); Christchurch, New Zealand (1981) and Madrid, Spain (1984). It met in extraordinary session in Geneva, Switzerland, in April 1977. The 17th Session of the General Assembly, was held from 1-10 February 1988 in San José, Costa Rica at the kind invitation of President Oscar Arias and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica and had as its theme: CONSERVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY This sense of shared concern for the future of the earth's environment and its natural resources was reflected in the attendance of some 1000 participants representing 95 nations.
    [Show full text]
  • CA Diss Final1
    THE NICARAGUAN BLACK LEGEND: VIOLENCE AND NICARAGUANS IN COSTA RICA, 1821-1956 BY Carlos Enrique Alemán A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY History 2012 ABSTRACT THE NICARAGUAN BLACK LEGEND: VIOLENCE AND NICARAGUANS IN COSTA RICA, 1821-1956 By Carlos Enrique Alemán This dissertation is a transnational history that examines the perception of Nicaraguan immigrants in Costa Rica through their social, political and labor practices from independence to the mid-twentieth century. My dissertation examines the interplay between violence and nation- state formation and its impact on national identities. By analyzing the role of foreign relations, interregional politics and immigration in the construction of national identity, I argue that the deployment of violence by various actors influenced the perception of Nicaraguan immigrants as inherently violent at the turn of the twentieth century, a characterization that affects migration into the contemporary period. Importantly, I argue that Nicaraguans played a critical role in the formation of the modern Costa Rican state in the 1930s and 1940s through their involvement with the Costa Rican Communist Party and the civil war of 1948. I argue that violence, its symbolic and physical manifestations, were not absent in Costa Rica. Costa Rican violence manifested itself in different ways, through repression of labor struggles and opposition groups, the deportation of immigrants and exiles, and war making. Costa Rican violence expressed itself rhetorically against opponents it deemed threats, primarily communists and Nicaraguans, casting them as outsiders of the Costa Rican nation. Costa Ricans have historically defined themselves largely in contrast to Nicaraguans who they stereotyped as violent troublemakers.
    [Show full text]