 Portlander Ben Linder taught clowning in Nicaragua and helped bring power to villages there. |
On April 28, 1987, U.S.-backed "Contras" in Nicaragua killed Portlander Ben Linder—a mechanical engineer, juggler, clown, unicyclist and volunteer in a country that was a battlefield in the Cold War.
As the 20th anniversary of that infamous slaying nears, Linder's family is planning several events to mark a death that rocked Portland and earned worldwide scorn for Washington's foreign policy.
For Linder's mother, Elisabeth, her son's death still offers relevant lessons today in Iraq.
"It's foreign policy that killed Ben and thousands of Nicaraguans, and it's happening again," she says. "I think of Ben's death every time I see another death [there]."
Linder, 27, had lived in Nicaragua for nearly four years when he was assassinated at point-blank range after being injured by a grenade. He had helped to complete a small hydroelectric plant, providing light and electricity for the first time in the town of El CuÁ. He was doing prep work for a dam in San Jose de Bocay when he and two Nicaraguan co-workers were killed.
According to autopsy reports, Linder was carrying a Russian-made 7.62 mm assault rifle when he was shot. Linder's mother calls that report "a bunch of bullshit." She also doesn't believe rumors (including a Wikipedia entry) that her son frequently wore a Sandinista uniform. She says he wasn't involved in politics.
"He was an idealist who was just going to change a little piece of the world," she says.
Work on the San Jose de Bocay project continued with help from international aid organizations and tourists responding to work-for-food ads in hostels. Linder's family has raised about $800,000 for the Central American Solidarity movement through speaking engagements across North America.
"It was exhausting and in some ways exhilarating," says Elisabeth Linder, who took turns with family members speaking at churches, community centers, schools and anywhere someone would listen.
Linder's legacy in Nicaragua includes a lighter side—training locals in the art of clowning. And thanks to his help, two small villages have 24-hour electricity. For Nicaraguans who Linder helped, his life transcends politics. And for a mother who would have a 47-year-old son if it weren't for a war 20 years ago, Ben Linder's legacy will live on forever.
Events to mark Linder's killing include the showing of a documentary about him at 7 pm Thursday, April 5, at Liberty Hall (311 N Ivy St.); the building of a bridge starting at 9 am Saturday, April 21 in Forest Park; and a memorial event 7 pm Friday, April 27 at First United Methodist Church (1838 SW Jefferson St.). For more details, go to greenempowerment.org.
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pictures of your son will being us strength
in love and light
mary wangmo
My name is Don Macleay and I was Ben Linder's supervisor up until about a month before he was killed. After he was killed I went back to Nicaragua to help them get back on their feet.
The current work in Nicaragua exists with thanks to many people one of whom is an American still works and lives in Nicaragua. That is Ben's old friend and co-worker, not to mention mechanical engineer, Rebecca Leaf. You can read about what they do on the Green Empowerment website. Rebecca does not like the limelight, but she deserves a lot of credit and Kudos.
For an accurate account one should read:
The Death of Ben Linder: The Story of a North American in Sandinista Nicaragua
by Joan Kruckewitt
I do not know why Elizabeth Linder is saying what she said about us not having guns. She was not there and she is wrong. Ben's problem was not that he was carrying a gun, it was that he did not really know how to defend himself, nor did anyone else in his work party.
There is nothing wrong with defending yourself.
By the way, if one was fortunate enough to have something green to wear during that war, it was a NICARAGUAN uniform, not a Sandinista uniform. Unless you think that the troops in Iraq are wearing Republican uniforms.
Ben's death was a small part of a very big crime. Those who should be hanging their heads in shame, at the dock, are those most responsible for this kind of "he was caught with a gun" spin. If they had not imposed their dirty war on that impoverished little country, we would not have been forced to carry guns just to do our day to day work at the electric company.
Ben was an honorable young man doing good work with the very highest of ethics.