Revolting kids
Sir: Owing to absence on holiday I have only just seen Graham Greene's letter in your 29 August issue in which he questions the statement that in Nicaragua 'education is now indistinguishable from indoctrina- tion'.
I have seen a first-grade reader pub- lished under the imprint of the Ministry of Education, Managua, Nicaragua. On page 48 it says `i Viva el FSLAIP On page 54 the letter F is illustrated by the word fusil (rifle) and a picture of what I take to be (I am admittedly no small arms expert) an automatic rifle. On page 59 the text reads 'DEFENCE — The valiant militia march in the square. They all hold their rifles in their hands. The militia are of the people. The people are ready for defence. The militia defend peace. Long live the militia!'
On page 92, under C, the text reads 'Carlos — Carlos Fonseca taught us the way. He is the founder of Sandinista Front of National Liberation [Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN)]. He fell at Zincia. Carlos lives on in the hearts of the people.'
On page 100, illustrating the two letters `gu' (used frequently in Spanish• hence translated here as one letter), is the single word `guerrilleros'.
On page 73, under a picture of lemur- eyed children of the sort one sees in the kitscher sort of Italian restaurant, the lesson goes 'Ton°, Delia and Rodolfo belong to the Association of Sandinista Children [AsociaciOn de Nifios Sandinis- tas. (ANS)]. Sandinista children use a neckerchief. They take part in the tasks of the Revolution and are very studious.'
On page 127 the text reads 'The children of the Revolution — We children are the fledglings [mimados] of the Revolution We study to prepare ourselves and be useful to our country and our people. We children help in the defence of the Father- land, looking after our schools and teaching materials, participating in the preservation of water and lighting [i.e. not wasting electricity] and carrying out the tasks that are given us. As we are the fledglings, the Revolution concerns itself with giving us education, health and re- creation. And above all it guarantees us peace.'
In another book published under the same imprint — a first-grade mathematics primer — three circles enclosing each a brace of hand grenades are shown, fol- lowed by '2+2+2=6'. At the top of the page are three groups of a brace of automatic rifles.
There's plenty more along these lines, but I hope I have quoted enough to convince even Mr Greene.
Charles Mosley
15 Onslow Avenue Mansions, Onslow Avenue, Richmond, Surrey
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