New Haven/León Sister City Project

The NH/LSCP is organizing support for workers and communities in Goyena and Chichi  negatively affected by the Nicaragua Sugar Estates, Ltd (NSEL), a large corporation producing sugar and ethanol.

 NSEL is violating clear labor and environmental standards with the support of US-based funds with numerous – often unseen - victims.  In 2006, the company received a $55 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank.   On April 1, 2008, the over 700 workers and community members, along with the Center for International Environmental Law,  filed a complaint (http://www.ciel.org/Ifi/NSEL_Press_1Apr08.html ) demanding that the IFC  respect workers health and environmental concerns.

Take Action:  Write to  the IFC/World Bank -- Ask your Congressperson/Senator (get their phone/address at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/) , church, synagogue, organization to do the same.  .  For questions about this advocacy process, contact Chris Schweitzer at cschweitzer@newhavenleon.org, or 203.562.1607.  

Among many concerns is that there is an epidemic of Chronic Renal Insufficiency (CRI) among NSEL sugarcane workers (over 1000 cases) and members of communities adjacent to NSEL sugarcane fields.  NSEL hires workers for six month periods and will not re-hire those who become ill.  Hundreds of  deaths have been reported in Nicaragua from CRI, mostly in areas where there is sugar cane.

● Interference by NSEL in attempts to establish a union independent of NSEL control and associated retaliation against those workers who sought to form or join the union

● Depletion of groundwater as a result of NSEL's irrigation of sugarcane fields

● Suspected contamination of natural water bodies with pesticide runoff from sugarcane fields, and improper treatment and disposal of effluent from cane processing

● Incarceration and/or persecution and harassment of community members, and current and former employees who raise concerns about NSEL's activities

The NH/LSCP asks friends to help spread the word in support of these communities struggling for justice in Nicaragua.  

The photos of former cane workers and community members of Chichigalpa were taken by Rachel Sexton and Maria Valentin, members of an April 2008 NH/LSCP delegation to Nicaragua.