| Description |
The contest between the Sandinistas and the natives is not only political and ethnic, but extends to other areas as well. In one sense it is a conflict between traditional and modern ways of life. The Sandinistas attempted to modernize the Atlantic Coast area, in education, health care, and economic production, and were surprised by the intense resistance they encountered. The Indian population apparently had little use for the amenities of modern Nicaraguan society. The Indians were resisting the political values of the Sandinistas, the social reforms, and especially their integration into the rest of Nicaraguan society. What the United States portrayed as a simple political conflict between the political right and left of Nicaragua was, in reality, a deep cultural split in the country itself, which caused the Indians of the Atlantic Coast to side tactically with elements of the right. |
