Panama Opposition Strike Falls Short

A general strike, billed as a crucial step in a design to convince the world of Panamanians’ determination to rid their country of Gen. Manuel A. Noriega, fizzled out Wednesday.

Despite claims by strike organizers that business “was 80% below normal,” traffic was near normal, most stores, banks and businesses were open and citizens largely ignored a call to appear on the streets at noon to show their displeasure with Noriega and their support for the opposition.

With the exception of fast-food restaurants, nearly all businesses were operating, and in the downtown section where much of the working-class and lower-middle-class shops, sidewalks were clogged with people buying goods.

Citizens didn’t appear at midday but neither did the leaders of the opposition, who were not seen in public Wednesday.

Press Conferences

Guillermo Endara, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Alliance for Civic Opposition in the May 7 election, in which he was considered the winner, held meetings all day with aides and press conferences with reporters.

To many diplomats and some in the anti-regime movement, the tepid protest put an abrupt end to the opposition momentum that developed against strongman Noriega after his security forces physically attacked Endara and other Democratic Alliance leaders during a street demonstration a week ago.

The strike was called to coincide with a Washington meeting of the Organization of American States to consider resolutions condemning Noriega in the face of his apparent effort to steal the May 7 presidential elections. The government-controlled electoral commission has nullified the election, saying it was tainted by violence and by foreign influence.

The leaders of the Democratic Alliance, which organized the 24-hour strike, took pains to rationalize the lack of public response.

After pointing out that the government had threatened essential-services businesses if they closed and that paramilitary groups had made ominous statements about suppressing public disorders, Endara said the day nevertheless was a “total success” because economic life was not normal Wednesday.

One current theory among the opposition holds that the greatest threat to Noriega lies within elements of the Panamanian Defense Forces who would refuse to put down protests if it meant shooting Panamanians.

“There is ample evidence that the PDF won’t do it,” an influential banker said.

Another businessman said: “The only way to create pressure (on the army) is to confront it and make it decide if it will shoot Panamanians. . . . We’re going to lose some lives, of course, but I think the people are willing to do it” if the opposition leaders show the way.

But according to a diplomat who supports the opposition, “Noriega is laughing all the way to the bank” over the Wednesday strike.

“The opposition has not learned how to screw up the PDF (by confronting the military),” he said. “They haven’t learned anything from the past.” This was a reference to the 17-day general strike last year that paralyzed the country’s economy but failed to force Noriega to step down.

Noriega Not Leaving

Noriega, meanwhile, indicated in an interview with a French television network that he has no intention of leaving.

He said the U.S. government’s efforts to oust him are motivated by a desire to violate the terms of two 1977 treaties that turned over control of the Panama Canal to Panama. This “is a fight of Panama against an imperial power” that does not want to give up “territory that God did not give it,” Noriega said.

He added that “we absolutely condemn violence from wherever it comes” and expressed regret over the attack on Endara and the other opposition leaders. He said the injuries were caused by people not under government control.