NEW YORK, JULY 9, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Dutch Minister of Development told the government of Nicaragua that development assistance would be withdrawn unless the central American country reversed its recent ban on abortion.
Last October, the Parliament of Nicaragua unanimously modified its penal code to ban all abortions. Since the legislation passed, increased pressure has been placed on the Nicaraguan government by pro-abortion groups around the world, C-FAM reported.
Nicaragua has made it clear that "the domestic laws governing [abortion] are within the sovereign purview of the Nicaraguan nation."
Bert Koenders, the Dutch Minister of Development, told the Dutch Platform of Millennium Goals, that "even if an abortion is medically necessary, it still remains illegal in Nicaragua, which results in the death of women. We should emphasize that this is completely unacceptable."
Koenders continued, "I do not want to immediately cancel our aid to Nicaragua, but we will certainly weigh the matter."
British Member of the European Parliament Nirj Deva told C-FAM: "This latest threat by the Netherlands to withdraw financial assistance to Nicaragua because of the abortion ban is not an EU (European Union) initiative but an instance of one European Union member state speaking unilaterally on this subject."
Deva explained, "This certainly is not reflective of a unified European Union position on the matter."
ZE07070901 - 2007-07-09
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-20081?l=english
Nicaragua Pressured to Go Pro-Abortion
Aid Made Dependant Upon Liberalizing Laws
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