Peace deal brings refugees new hope

FOUR million people could return to their homes in faminehit Mozambique if a peace accord signed this week holds, the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development has said.
CAFOD welcomed the peace deal signed in Rome by both sides in Mozambique's 15 year-long civil war.
Fighting between Frelimo government forces and Renamo rebels has cost an estimated one million lives during the course of the war.
"An end to the hostilities in Mozambique is a precondition to any meaningful development and an end to the suffering. CAFOD prays the accord will prove durable," said the development agency's director Julian Filochowski.
The Rome agreement marks the end of 18 months of hard bargaining and negotiation sponsored by the Italian government and the Italian-based Catholic organisation, San Egidio.
"Renamo commits itself from the moment that a ceasefire comes into effect not to use arms but to limit its action to a political struggle, respecting the institutions of the existing state. Both sides commit themselves to achieving a general peace as soon as possible," the accord said.