Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 15:54:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Chris <red-AT-iww.org>
Subject: Nica: Aleman-Ortega Meeting on Protests (fwd)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
** Written  7:58 PM  Apr 18, 1997 by wnu in cdp:reg.nicaragua **
From: Weekly News Update <wnu-AT-igc.apc.org>
Subject: Nica: Aleman-Ortega Meeting on Protests

MEETING BETWEEN NICARAGUAN PRESIDENT AND OPPOSITION LEADER YIELDS
POSITIVE RESULTS by Toby Mailman

Managua, April 17. Daniel Ortega Saavedra, president of the organizing
committee of the national protest which began here April 14, and
Nicaraguan president Arnoldo Aleman Lacayo, met this morning to set
the framework for a dialogue to find solutions to the problems that
generated the protest.  The results of the meeting are seen as
something of a victory by participants.

According to Ortega, who spoke after the meeting at one of the
barricades at a southern entrance to the capital, President Aleman
agreed to send a bill to the National Assembly to suspend evictions of
disputed property for a period of three months, to be acted on with
urgency.  This was one of the protesters' most important demands. 
Aleman also assured Ortega that not more than 3,000 state workers
would be fired.  Previously it was announced that at least 12,000
would lose their jobs.  Ortega announced that Aleman also said that
property titles granted under the Sandinista government and Chamorro
government agrarian reform plans would be respected, contrary to an
earlier announcement by the Agrarian Reform Institute that it would
seek to annul 14,000 titles.  Aleman also agreed to begin talks
tomorrow with Ortega and representatives of all the sectors
participating in the national protest, and to inform international
observers of any agreements and the progress of the talks, demanded by
Ortega and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) as a
condition for a national dialogue.

Aleman held an afternoon press conference in which he revealed some of
the results of the meeting, and expressed his satisfaction that thus
far during the national protest has remained relatively non-violent.

While the meeting is seen as positive, protesters say the
demonstration will continue until they see some positive action. 
While the protest continues for the most part to be peaceful,
yesterday there were some minor injuries among participants, resulting
>from police actions or actions by groups opposing the protest, and
last night in at least two neighborhoods in Managua, anti-riot police
used tear gas to remove demonstrators and barricades from the streets.

Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alvarado yesterday evening issued a
statement saying the patience of his ministry had been stretched and
that action would be taken against demonstrators blocking the roads. 
Earlier some 300 anti-riot troops had been sent to various principal
cities, but no action was reported.  However, last night President
Aleman is said to have sent a counter-order telling police not to take
any action against demonstrators.

In some locations in the country yesterday additional roadblocks were
set up as more people joined the protest.  Meanwhile, as the protest
goes into its fourth day, shortages of some food items, milk and
gasoline have been reported in different parts of the country.  In
Managua many vendors in the markets did not open their stalls, and at
least one dairy company has announced that as of tomorrow it will not
be able to provide milk in the capital.  FIN

======================================================================Weekly News Update on the Americas * Nicaragua Solidarity Network of NY
339 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012  *  212-674-9499 fax: 212-674-9139
http://home.earthlink.net/~dbwilson/wnuhome.html   *    wnu-AT-igc.apc.org 
======================================================================
** End of text from cdp:reg.nicaragua **

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