Praying for Peace and Justice on April 21, 2024
Two days ago, on April 19, 2024, we marked the sixth anniversary of the
massive civil protests in Nicaragua against the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega.
His government responded with brutal violence, killing more than 350
people, incarcerating hundreds of protesters and injuring thousands others.
It’s been six years of resistance despite this brutal repression of a police
state. The country faces a massive exodus of people. Half a million
Nicaraguans, roughly 10% of the population, have left the country due to
political persecution or due the economic crisis. There are currently 100
political prisoners. Civil rights are violated. Independent media outlets are
closed, confiscated, censored. The people live under self-censorship to
protect themselves from harassment and jail. The dictatorship has stripped
the nationality of more than 300 activists who are in exile, a measure that
few tyrants like Pinochet and Hitler have done in history, and they have
confiscated their houses in Nicaragua.
In the face of such hardship, hope and resilience are essential. This prayer,
with its focus on inner peace and justice, reminds us that peace and justice
start with each of us. We cannot demand peace and justice in Nicaragua, in
Palestine, in Israel, in Ukraine, in Yemen, if we don’t live it.
For this reason let us pray for peace and justice in the face
of the immense suffering caused by the Nicaraguan government political
repression. May we all have faith in a peaceful future for Nicaragua and the
world. —- Amen
