Ivory Coast begins paying bonuses to mutinous soldiers
ABIDJAN- Ivory Coast's government has begun paying bonuses to soldiers who staged a two-day mutiny earlier this month, leaders of the revolt said on Tuesday, in a move aimed at quelling unrest that could undermine the country's post-war success story.
Soldiers poured out of their barracks and seized the top cocoa grower's second-largest city, Bouake, on Jan. 6 in an uprising that quickly spread across the West African nation, forcing the government to capitulate to the mutineers' demands.
Negotiators for the mutineers say that, among other promises, the government agreed to pay bonuses of 12 million CFA francs ($19,541) each to around 8,400 soldiers, beginning with an instalment of 5 million.
Government officials have declined to reveal details of the deal. Defence Minister Alain-Richard Donwahi would not confirm the payments but said the government planned to make a statement on the issue after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
