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INSIDECOSTARICA.COM
| COSTA RICA
NEWS BRIEFS
| Tuesday
08 February 2011 |
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COSTA
RICA -
NICARAGUA
CONFLICT
Unfavorable
Court
Ruling
Could Be
'Catastrophic'
For
Costa
Rica
Since
1948
Costa
Rica has
had no
army,
relying
on
international
law for
defense
of its
borders,
to live
in peace
and
democracy.
However,
the
incursion
of
Nicaraguan
troops
on a
piece of
land
claimed
Costa
Rica -
the
alleged
border
invasion
- has
become a
challenge
to its
neutrality.
Since
October
the two
countries
have
been at
odds
over the
Isla
Calero
or
Harbor
Head as
it is
known in
Costa
Rica, a
piece of
swamp
land on
the
south
side of
the San
Juan
river.
Based on
an a
more
than 100
old
agreement,
the
river
belongs
to
Nicaragua,
but the
south
bank to
Costa
Rica.
Nicaragua
argues
that the
course
of the
river
has
changed
since
and
placed
its
troops
on the
territory
in
dispute
at the
start of
the
dredging
operation
of the
river.
Costa
Rica
filed
suit
with the
International
Court of
Justice
in The
Hague (ICJ)
to force
a
resolution
after
the
diplomatic
route
falied,
as did
the
demands
by the
Organization
of
American
States
(OAS).
The ICJ
held
three
days of
hearings
on Costa
Rica's
request
to stop
the
dredging
of the
river
and the
removal
of
Nicaragua's
troops
while
the case
is
before
the
courts,
that
could
take
four or
five
years
before
it is
heard.
Both
countries
are now
waiting
on the
court
decision,
which
according
to
experts,
could be
"catastrophic"
if it
doesn't
go in
Costa
Rica's
favour.
If the
court
decision
goes
against
Costa
Rica,
the
country
may
suffer
an
identity
crisis
and
possibly
see a
push for
militarization.
The
border
conflict
is have
a deeper
effect
on Costa
Rica and
Costa
Ricans
than its
northern
neighbour.
A
CID-Gallup
poll of
January
24 shows
that 91%
of
Nicaraguans
believe
the
crisis
is
caused
by an
unclear
border
limit,
while
73% of
Costa
Ricans
believe
of an
invasion
by
Nicaragua.
The
question
is
whether
Costa
Rica is
"neutral"
or
"pacifist".
Carlos
Denton,
president
of the
CID-Gallup
explains:
"the
Swiss
are a
neutral
country
but will
rally an
armed
force if
invaded.
But a
pacifist
country
turns
the
other
cheek or
appeals
to
international
support".
In
Nicaragua,
crisis
is a way
of life.
In fact,
many
Nicaraguans
are not
aware
that
Costa
Rica has
no army
and fear
a Costa
Rican
invasion
at a any
moment.
Nicaraguans
are also
guarded
of
foreign
meddling
and has
lost
territory
in the
past to
Colombia
(San
Andres)
and
Costa
Rica
(Guanacaste)
and is
said to
have a
"shrinking
country"
complex.
Edén
Pastora,
the man
at the
centre
of the
Nicaragua
- Costa
Rica
conflict,
heading
the San
Juan
river
dredeging
operation
says
that
Nicaragua
is the
only
country
in the
world
losing
territory
to a
"smaller
and
weaker"
nation.
In the
past
Costa
Rica has
defended
invasions
from
Nicaragua
with a
combination
of
volunteer
militias
and
diplomatic
offensives.
This
time
around,
diplomatic
and
legal
actions
are the
only
weapons
Costa
Rica
has.
Costa
Rica did
send a
heavily
armed
police
to the
border
in
November.
But the
police
is not
experience
or
training
in
fighting
an army.
The
anticipated
court
decision
is
expected
to
provide
a
resolution
to the
border
conflict,
but many
fear
that
damage
has been
done -
Costa
Rica may
not look
at
Nicaragua,
or
itself
for that
matter,
the same
way
again. |
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Costa Rica's Daily English News
Source
Apdo. 2133-1000, San José, Costa
Rica
Tel: (506) 2231 3205 / (506) 8399
9642
Fax: (506) 2232 6337
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