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Nicaragua Makes Official Request
For Report on Dredging of San
Juan River by Costa Rica
Nicaragua made an "official"
request from Costa Rican
authorities to report on the
dredging work of the Río San
Juan (San Juan river) that
divides the two countries. The
San Juan clearly belongs to
Nicaragua, however, Costa Rica
has navigation rights.
During the last several months,
Costa Rica has been dredging a
part of the river bear the Gran
Lago de Nicaragua, which
Nicaragua charges that the
practice is polluting the area
and causing environmental
damage.
Oscar García, a spokesperson for
Nicaragua's foreign ministry,
said that a "diplomatic" letter
was sent to his counterpart in
Nicaragua, requesting
information on the dredging
activity by the Costa Ricans and
the presence of heavy machinery
in the area, that supposedly is
there to dredge rivers in Costa
Rica, which is diverting
polluted waters into Nicaragua.
In the letter signed by Normal
Caldera, Nicaragua's Chancellor,
he asks his Costa Rican
counterpart that the practice
not be repeated and a detailed
report on the case.
Nicaragua charges that he
dredging operation included 25
metres into Nicaraguan territory
last April 20 while the Costa
Ricans were cleaning up the
Guacalito river, a tributary
into Lake Nicaragua, without
first obtaining the required
permits from the Nicaraguan
authorities.
Nicaraguan army chief, general
Omar Halleslevens, said that
Costa Rica did make a request
for permits to dredge the
portion of the river in
Nicaraguan territory, however,
it was never granted and the
Costa Ricans continued with
their work nonetheless.
The Nicaraguans say that it is
only logical that the rivers
being dredged in Costa Rica
contain some level of
contamination and what the Costa
Ricans are looking for is to
move the contamination out of
their area and unto Nicaraguan
territory.
Hallevens said that the request
by Costa Rica was denied on two
occasions, not only last April
but also in January. The army
general added that it's not up
to him to approve the requests,
that is the job of his
superiors. Hallevens stated that
his job is to make sure that his
military detachment impedes the
dredging of the San Juan river
and the tributaries that flow
into Nicaraguan territory.
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