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Veteran Action At U.S. Embassy

By Bill Davis

The phrase, "demonstrations at the U.S. Embassy" brings up a lot of news images from rock throwing crowds to groups of armed people storming and looting the buildings. The pictures of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, both during the Tet offensive of 1968 and during the 1975 evacuation of Saigon are forever burning into our consciousness.

With the Reagan Administration's screechings about Nicaragua, most people would automatically assume that duty at the U.S. Embassy in Managua must be among the most dangerous assignments in the world. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The U.S. Embassy sits on a busy but quiet (by our standards) boulevard, lined with large trees. No helmeted marines in Flack vets, no concertina wire strung in a crescent at the entrance. There are no Americans in evidence at all on a normal day. Inside the gate a few Nicaraguans, employed by the U.S. to search vehicles for explosives wait for cars. Outside the gate armed people are finally in evidence—a few Nicaraguan police assigned to security for the Embassy, facing outward. As people pass by in vehicles or on foot they may glance at the Embassy, but that is about it. Truly, this is a strange attitude for a people locked in war of terror run in part by the guys in aviator sunglasses and Rolex watches behind those walls.

Once a week, however, this scene changes. A demonstration—yes (gasp!) a demonstration occurs every Tuesday morning at 7AM like clockwork. No, it's not a crowd of machete-waving revolutionaries whipped to a frenzy by the so-called Marxist Sandinistas, but usually a dignified statement of peace and opposition to U.S. policy in Nicaragua by the American community in the country. Not the crowd from the Intercontinental Hotel, but these are Americans who have taken up some type of residence in Nicaragua.

On Thursday, April 17th, the demonstration at the Embassy took on a new significance. Massive marches had occurred the day before in every city in Nicaragua, two in Managua, to celebrate the lack success in the U.S. vote on Contra aid. Coupling this event with the U.S. raid on Libya, the numbers of Americans at the Embassy gates had grown to 3 or 4 times the normal amount.

Members of the VVAW delegation, who had been told not to expect too large a group, looked at the sizeable gathering with some surprise as they arrived by bus.

Off the bus, the VVAW delegation formed in columns of twos, VVAW banner in the front, and marched toward the crowd, many of whom were in a moving picket line in the street in front of the Embassy.

As we drew closer, in step, we began to chant: "Reagan, Reagan, he's no good, Send him back to Hollywood. If he'd been in "Nam back then, He'd never made it home again.

Sound off ......."

The crowd roared its approval as the VVAW delegation neatly peeled off in a single column into the moving picket line. People came out of the crowd to greet us with handshakes and hugs. One long-time member of VVAW, who had hitchhiked up from Rivas where he works as a nurse stood by smiling until we dragged him into the line with us.

The picket line gradually moved into the crowd as the program began. People representing various peace and anti-intervention groups gave brief messages of solidarity. When VVAW's turn came, Clarence Fitch, one of the co-chairs of the VVAW delegation, began to speak of our feelings and impressions of the delegation's experiences in Nicaragua. As the crowd pressed forward to avoid missing a word, across the street people and marines inside the Embassy actually came up to the gate to hear the VVAW portion of the program. Later we learned that rarely if ever did they show themselves inside the compound.

As Clarence finished his presentation, Manual Martinez from Chicago VVAW stepped forward, pointing at the Embassy, and said, before a hushed crowd, "The war machine is oiled with blood of innocent victims." Ron Arm, VVAW Madison, stepped out next, stating loudly, "If there is any American blood to be drawn in Nicaragua, let it be a gift to help heal the wounds of the sons and daughters of Nicaragua who have suffered at the hands of the U.S.—Contra aggression."

At this point Billy Curmano of Minnesota VVAW spoke out: "We, as Vietnam vets, know the pain and agony of spilling blood on foreign soil." The three VVAW members moved into a circle facing each other. Removing their VVAW buttons they pricked a finger drawing a drop of blood. Forming an arch with the bleeding fingers they knelt to the ground and pressed the blood to the pavement, saying in unison, "Let this be the last American blood spilled on Nicaraguan soil. Viva Nicaragua Libre." The crowd responded, "No pasaran, Nor Pasaran!" and broke into cheers.

Across the street the marines in civvies at the gate no longer stood arms folded with bravado smiles; as VVAW finished they turned and silently walked back to the Embassy.

Following the program VVAW mingled with the crowd until time to leave, then formed in columns of two and marched back to the bus changing as before.

Behind us, the street was clearing, traffic was moving through again, and the weekly assault on the Embassy had subsided.

Aboard the bus, we in the VVAW delegation were jubilant. Our action has been a success. We had strengthened our bonds with the American community in Nicaragua, left our distinctive calling card of action at the U.S. Embassy, and fulfilled our obligation to our VVAW brothers and sisters demonstrating a continent away in North America.

Bill Davis
VVAW National Office