Contras Win Pact on Food, Jobs, Housing, to Resume Disarming
The Contra rebels agreed today to resume disbanding after the new government promised to set aside rural areas where they can live, police themselves and join town councils.
The agreement was contained in an accord drafted by the government and Contras on Tuesday night and signed early today.
The Contras agreed to try to finish disbanding by June 10, a deadline set in a May 19 accord with the government of President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro.
That accord broke down when the Contras stopped disarming, saying the Chamorro government was not fulfilling its commitments to provide food, housing, jobs and security for fighters who lay down their weapons.
On Tuesday, the rebels and the government resumed talks, suspended Friday after the guerrillas announced an alleged massacre of 14 disbanded fighters. No evidence of any such attack has surfaced.
“There were misunderstandings, but misunderstandings are solved by talking, and what we want as Nicaraguans . . . is peace and reconciliation,” Chamorro said at a dawn news conference.
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