NICARAGUAN indigenous and civil society groups have written an open letter to the United Nations warning against political manipulation by US-funded NGOs to undermine the democratically elected government.

The Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign is is one of more than 30 international religious groups and organisations to have also signed the letter which has been sent to the UN Human Rights Council and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

It accuses the NGOs, including the US-based Oakland Institute, of silencing the voices of Nicaragua’s indigenous people and ignoring community leaders when conducting reports.