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Bujumbura-Burundi.
BURUNDI - POLITICAL PARTIES.
BURUNDI FORMER AND CURRENT DIGNITARIES FAVORED BY DISSIDENT "FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHUGU".
COPENHAGEN, JULY 4, 2000 (NET PRESS). AFTER THE "DECISION TO WITHDRAW THE FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHUGU FROM THE CNDD-FDD ARMED MOVEMENT COALITION", THE LEADERS OF THAT MOVEMENT ARE OVER-ZEALOUS AND HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ISSUING SERIES OF COMMUNIQUES ON FORGIVENESS (PARDON), RECONCILIATION. IN THEIR JULY 3, 2000 COMMUNIQUE, THE "FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHIGU" WANTS BARUNDI PEOPLE "TO UNDERSTAND AND FORGIVE PAST ERRORS DONE BY HEADS OF STATE, FORMER AND CURRENT" SINCE THEY HAVE INHERITED "POISONED SITUATIONS AND THAT IS KNOWN TO EVERYONE ".
THE DISSIDENT WING OF THE CNDD-FDD IS EXPLICITLY NAMING PRESIDENTS BAGAZA, BUYOYA AND NTIBANTUNGANYA WHO MUST ALSO OPEN THEMSELVES TO BARUNDI PEOPLE AND TELL THEM WHAT SHALL BE DONE AND WHAT SHALL BE AVOIDED GIVEN THEIR RESPECTIVE EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY WERE IN OFFICE.
FURTHERMORE, THE "FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHUGU" LEADERSHIP IS PLANNING TO SUBMIT TO THE PARLIAMENT DRAFT STATUTES FOR FORMER MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS AND GOVERNORS OF PROVINCE SO AS NOT "TO FRUSTRATE ANCIENT DIGNITARIES". IT'S WORTHWHILE MENTIONING THAT BOTH MM. CHRISTIAN SENDEGEYA AND EMMANUEL GAHUNGU RESPECTIVELY LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE AND DEPUTY LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED DISSIDENT "FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHUGU" ARE REPORTEDLY AMONG THESE FORMER HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS.
THE SAME "FRODEBU MPARANIRAGIHUGU" POINTED OUT THAT, IT WILL BE THE TASK OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE TO SUE BEFORE THE COURTS THOSE WHO WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PAST CRIMES, AND AS FOR THE OCTOBER 1993 CRISIS PRISONERS "OUR OPINION IS, CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME PEOPLE MAY BELIEVE, THEIR SETTING THEM FREE IS UNAVOIDABLE FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE".
A CERTAIN OPINION WONDERS IF THIS PARDON AND THIS RECONCILIATION WHICH THE ABOVE PARTY IS ADVOCATING ON A CONSTANT BASIS ARE NOT BIASED AS LONG AS ITS LEADERSHIP MAY BE ITSELF IN NEED OF PARDON FOR GENOCIDE CRIME, AND ONLY GOD KNOWS THE ATROCITIES THESE PEOPLE ARE ACCOUNTED FOR
BURUNDI - ECONOMY.
THE CASE "SOCABU" INSURANCE COMPANY VS "CIC" BUILDING COMPANY IN THE HANDS OF EXPERTS FROM CAMEROON.
BUJUMBURA, JULY 4, 2000 (NET PRESS). THE 7-YEAR-OLD "SOCABU" INSURANCE COMPANY VS "CIC" BUILDING COMPANY HAS JUST LANDED IN THE HANDS OF FOREIGNERS. LET US RECALL THAT "SOCABU" HAD LOST ALL THE PREVIOUS FIGHTS BEFORE THE COURTS AT ALL STAGES BUT THAT IT NEVER ACCEPTED THE DEFEAT. LAST TIME WHILE THE CASE WAS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE COURT OF APPEAL IN ORDER TO AVOID A FINANCIAL SCANDAL THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DECIDED TO HANDLE THE ISSUE AND SEVERAL OPTIONS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AMONG WHICH THE ESTABLISHING OF A NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE MATTER AND IT WAS LATER REJECTED SINCE THE POINT WAS THAT A NATIONAL COMMITTEE COULD NOT BE ABOVE JUSTICE FOR WHATEVER SETTLEMENT. THE COURT OF CESSATION HAS TAKEN OVER THE CASE AND SOCABU HANDED OVER ITS FINAL CONCLUSIONS AS EARLY AS DECEMBER 29, 1999 WHILE "CIC" DID LIKEWISE MARCH 9, 2000, BUT THE FORMER IS STILL SILENT.
"NET PRESS" EDITORIAL OFFICES HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT A TEAM OF EXPERTS FROM CAMEROON IS HERE AND HAS BEGUN INVESTIGATING THE CASE AND THEY HELD A WORKING SESSION WITH "CIC" YESTERDAY JULY 3, 2000 WHILE THE WORKING SESSION WITH SOCABU IS PLANNED FOR JULY 4, 2000. A LOT OF QUESTIONS ARE ARISING AS TO WHO INVITED CAMEROON NATIONALS WHO ARE ACTING FOR THE GOVERNMENT, WHO IS GOING TO PAY THEM AND ON WHAT TERMS AND COMPETENCE.
ACCORDING TO SOCABU SOURCES, IT HAS NEVER BEEN CONTACTED WITH WHOEVER AND IS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THAT TEAM. IT'S TO BE RECALLED THAT CAMEROON IS ON THE TOP LIST CORRUPT COUNTRIES.
BURUNDI - ECONOMY.
THE CENTRAL BANK (BRB) INCREASES ITS INTEREST RATES.
BUJUMBURA, JULY 4, 2000 (NET PRESS). JUNE 30, 2000 THE CENTRAL BANK (BRB) INCREASED ITS CAPITALIZATION RATE. THUS ALL THE COMMERCIAL BANKS NEEDING CAPITALS FROM THE CENTRAL BANK WILL HAVE TO PAY AN INTEREST RATE OF 16% INSTEAD OF 14%. THIS IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN THE COMMERCIAL BANKS' INCREASING THEIR RATES WHICH USED TO BE 19 -21% AND HENCE AN INCREASE OF ALL THE PRICES ON BASIC COMMODITIES SUCH AS FUEL, BEER, FOOD PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SOME PETROLEUM DEALERS ARE BEGINNING TO REFUSE TO SELL THEIR PRODUCT UNTIL PRICES ARE RAISED.
"NET PRESS" EDITORIAL OFFICES FAILED TO LEARN MORE FROM THE CENTRAL BANK DECISION-MAKERS WHO WERE BUSY IN THE FIRST FOREIGN EXCHANGE AUCTION.
BURUNDI - TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
THE GENERAL PROSECUTOR OF THE REPUBLIC SAYS : THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE ONATEL (TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY) ARE ALLEGATIONS.
BUJUMBURA, JULY 4, 2000 (NET PRESS). MANY PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER THE MUCH CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE RELATING TO ALLOCATING AN ONATEL BID TENDER OF A TELEPHONE CENTRAL BOARD WHICH HAS RAISED A LOT OF INTEREST AMONG THE COMPETING COMPANIES WHICH SHOWED A LOT OF CONCERNS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AND WHICH WERE ALLEDGING THAT INJUSTICE WAS BEING APPLIED AGAINST THEM AS EXPRESSED BY GALINT & TELRAD LAWYER, MASTER FRANCOIS NYAMOYA, ACCORDING TO WHOM THE TRUNK CONTAINING THE ORIGINAL COPIES OF THE DOCUMENTS INVOLVED "HAD NOT BEEN KEEPT IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE", I.E. IN THE HEAD OFFICE OF ONATEL. IN PRINCIPE, THE BIDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT WITH THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES AND HENCE SIMILAR CONCERNS HAD BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES WHO EVEN INSTEAD SUED HIS ONATEL COUNTERPART ALONGSIDE WITH A PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES STAFF MEMBER, MR. NEPHTALI NIBIZI RESPECTIVELY "FOR CRIMINAL FRAUDULENT MANIPULATIONS OF THE DOCUMENTS ON THE BID TENDER" AND "FOR BEING AN ACCOMPLICE OF THAT MANIPULATION".
FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION CARRIED OUT BY HIM, THE GENERAL PROSECUTOR OF THE REPUBLIC, MR. GERARD NGENDABANKA, SENT A LETTER DATED JULY 3, 2000 TO THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT, POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE MINISTER OF FINANCE THAT "AFTER THOUROUGH INVESTIGATIONS, THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ONATEL DIRECTOR GENERAL AND MR. NEPHTALI NIBIZI ARE NOT SUBSTANTIATED AND ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS MERE SUSPICION" AND THAT THEREFORE THE CASE WAS CLOSED SINCE NO OFFENCE WAS COMMITTED AGAINST THE LAW, AND HE EXPRESSED THE WISH THAT TRANSPARENCE PREVAIL WITHIN THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES BY ABIDING TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS AND RULES WHILE HANDLING THE CURRENT CASE.
BURUNDI - SECURITY.
20 PEOPLE SAVED BY SECURITY FORCES AROUND MUGERE HYDROELECTRIC PLANT FROM THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS ATTEMPTING TO KIDNAP THEM.
BUJUMBURA, JULY 4, 2000 (NET PRESS). YESTERDAY IN THE AFTER-NOON AT APPROXIMATELY 17,00 O'CLOCK A GROUP OF TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS DRESSED IN MILITARY BATTLE-DRESS ORDERED A MINIBUS A "HIACE" FROM RUMONGE, 16 KM OFF BUJUMBURA. THE DRIVER STOPPED THE MINIBUS SINCE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A ROUTINE CONTROL BY BURUNDI REGULAR ARMY. HE WAS THEN TOLD TO DRIVE TO NYARUSANGE, WHICH IS A SANCTUARY OF THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS 4 KM OFF ROAD NUMBER 3. WHEN SECURITY FORCES WERE INFORMED ABOUT IT, THEY CHASSED THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS WHO FLED FEARING DIRECT CONFRONTATIONS, THUS SETTING FREE THE UNFORTUNATE MINIBUS PASSENGERS WHO WERE ABOUT TO BE HOSTAGES.
ACCORDING TO FRESH NEWS, THE ABOVE-MENTIONED BUS AND PASSENGERS SPENT THEIR NIGHT IN THAT PLACE AND WERE ABLE TO SET FOR BUJUMBURA AS EARLY AS THIS MORNING.