Wilamette Week on Ben Linder

[April 4th, 2007] 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.

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.