The United States conveys our deepest condolences for the loss of life and destruction from the tsunami that struck West Java and southern Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 22. We continue to monitor the situation closely and are in close communication with Indonesian authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in Indonesia affected by the natural disaster. We are currently not aware of any U.S. citizens directly affected, but stand ready to assist as needed.

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In response to Russia’s dangerous escalation and unjustified November 25 attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels near the Kerch Strait, the Department of State, subject to Congressional approval, will provide an additional $10 million in Foreign Military Financing to further build Ukraine’s naval capabilities. We do so in solidarity with Lithuania and the United Kingdom, also planning to increase their security assistance to Ukraine. The United States calls on Russia to immediately return to Ukraine the seized vessels and detained Ukrainian crews, to keep the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov open to ships transiting to and from Ukrainian ports, and to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters.

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Yesterday, the President signed the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 (“Nica Act”), signaling his further commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, and rule of law in Nicaragua.

The signing of the Nica Act supplements a series of actions the United States has taken against the Ortega regime. In November, the Administration sanctioned two of Ortega’s closest associates under a new Executive Order issued by President Trump to counter the worst abuses of the Ortega regime in Nicaragua, including its dismantling of democratic institutions and serious human rights violations and abuses. Those sanctions are in addition to the ones imposed previously against other high-ranking Nicaraguan officials under E.O. 13818, implementing the Global Magnistky Human Rights Accountability Act. The State Department imposes visa restrictions against officials responsible or complicit in such abuses in Nicaragua on an ongoing basis.

The United States is taking these actions in Nicaragua because the Ortega regime continues to stifle dissent; harass and repress independent media; and arrest, torture, and intimidate civilians for simply exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The recent cancellation of legal status for nine human rights and civil society organizations, and the expulsion of experts investigating the human rights situation in Nicaragua under the auspices of the Organization of American States’ independent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights are just the latest examples of the Ortega regime’s wanton disregard for fundamental freedoms, democratic processes and institutions, and human rights.

The Nica Act sends another strong message that the United States will continue to press the Ortega regime for a return to democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We stand with the people of Nicaragua as they demand early, free, fair and transparent elections.

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The text of the following statement on Nicaragua was released by the Governments of Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, pursuant to their collective commitment to the defense of civil society organizations around the world.

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The Foreign Ministries of Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, in support of our civil society partners, strongly condemn the recent actions taken by the government of Nicaragua to cancel the legal registration of Nicaraguan civil society organizations working on a range of democratic governance and human rights issues, including: the Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policies (IEEPP), the Center for Information and Advice on Health Services (CISAS), Hagamos Democracia, the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH), the Institute for the Development of Democracy (IPADE), the Nicaraguan Center for Communication (CINCO), Popol Na, the Segovias Leadership Institute and the Rio Foundation.

The arbitrary cancelation of the legal standing of these civil society organizations (CSOs) and subsequent ransacking of several offices by National Police are a direct attack on the fundamental freedoms of the Nicaraguan people. The work of these organizations is essential to account for the ongoing human rights abuses and violations in Nicaragua. We urge the government of Nicaragua to reinstate the legal standing of these CSOs immediately, to cease all threats and attacks against Nicaraguan civil society and to uphold the fundamental freedoms in accordance with its international human rights law obligations.

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In addition to the above statement, the United States underscores the serious and negative impact on all Nicaraguan CSOs of the Ortega/Murillo regime’s December 19 expulsion of experts investigating human rights abuses in Nicaragua. The expulsions of human rights experts and the cancelation of legal standing of CSOs cannot hide the extensive, systematic human rights violations and abuses committed by the Ortega/Murillo regime.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

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The Troika (United States, Norway, and the UK) join the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in condemning the appalling harassment and abuse of monitors from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mission (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday, December 18. We are particularly concerned at reports that the attack on the monitors was carried out by the South Sudanese National Security Service. It is imperative that the Government of South Sudan investigate and hold accountable those found responsible. Any action that compromises the safety, integrity, and free movement of the CTSAMVM mission is unacceptable and a breach of the September 12th Peace Agreement, to which the Government of South Sudan is a party. CTSAMVM’s verification mission is essential to ensuring accountability for actions that undermine peace. In doing so, it plays an essential role in building the confidence needed if a lasting peace in South Sudan is to be realized.

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