THE NICKEL OF MUSONGATI STILL SOUGHT AFTER BY MANY.

BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 16, 2000 (NET PRESS). ACCORDING TO INTERNET INFORMATION, JEAN-BOSCO NDAYIKENGURUKIYE, CNDD-FDD LEADER  SAID IN A COMMUNIQUE THAT ALL MINING AGREEMENTS SIGNED BY THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT "ARE IN NO WAY BINDING TO BARUNDI PEOPLE". HE ADDED THAT "THE CNDD-FDD INTENDS TO STIGMATIZE THE UNLAWFUL ACTIONS OF BUYOYA'S SAVAGE GOVERNMENT" AND CONDEMNS "THE WAY  THE ONE-SIDED CONTRACT REGARDING MUSONGATI NICKEL CONCESSION WAS OBTAINED BY ARGOSY MINERALS INC.". THE COMMUNIQUE FINALLY ADDS THAT ALL THE ACCORDS SIGNED IN SUCH A CONTEXT OF "UNLAWFULLNESS SHALL BE REJECTED AND NEGOTIATED ON A NEW BASIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF BARUNDI PEOPLE AND IN RESPECT OF PREVAILING LAWS ".

BURUNDI - NEGOTIATIONS.

"BARUNDI NEGOTIATORS AT ARUSHA HAVE CONDUCTED THEMSELVES IN A MANNER THAT MISTRUST AND MUTUAL DESPISE WERE PART OF NATURAL BEHAVIOR  THAT THE AGREEMENT WILL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH", HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE "ITEKA" DEPLORES.

BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 16, 2000 (NET PRESS). IN A 6-PAGE DOCUMENT ENTITLED "SUMMARIZED VIEWPOINT OF THE LEAGUE "ITEKA" REGARDING THE PEACE PROCESS IN BURUNDI", BURUNDI HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE "ITEKA" GIVES ITS OPINION ON A SERIES OF MAJOR TOPICS OF BURUNDI CONFLICT. WHILE ARUSHA PEACE TALKS ARE ABOUT TO BE CONCLUDED, "ITEKA" LEAGUE  NOTES WITH  REGRETS THAT "THE PERSISTING DEEP DIFFERENCES BOTH ON THE STYLE OF THE PEACE PROCESS AND THE CONTENT OF DRAFT AGREEMENT MAY VERY LIKELY LEAD TO A VERY SERIOUS POLITICAL TURMOIL, INSTITUTIONNAL INSTABILITY AND INCREASED VIOLENCE". ON THE OTHER HAND, SAYS "ITEKA", IN SPITE OF A 2-YEAR-LONG TALKS AT ARUSHA, THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN ASPECTS OF THE PEACE PROCESS HAS REMAINED WIDE BOTH INSIDE THE COUNTRY AND AT ARUSHA, WHERE "MISTRUST, HATRED AND ETHNIC PREJUDICES ARE PERSISTING". THE "ITEKA" LEAGUE  NOTES ALSO THAT AFTER TWO YEARS OF NEGOTIATIONS, SIGNS OF MUTUAL CONFIDENCE, SPIRIT OPENNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE  HAVE PROVED TO BE VERY RARE : "FROM THE BEGINNING TILL THE END, THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES HAVE BEHAVED AS IF MISTRUST AND RECIPROCAL CONTEMPT WERE CONSIDERED IN ADVANCE AS A NATURAL FACTOR TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THE PEACE ACCORD, AS IF THAT PEACE ACCORD'S ONLY OBJECTIVE WAS TO PROPOSE FORMULAS OF COEXISTENCE AMIDST HATRED AND CONTEMPT". REGARDING AMNESTY,  "ITEKA" BELIEVES THAT ANY AMNESTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY SHOULD BE AVOIDED BECAUSE "IT WOULD ONLY STIR ONCE MORE IN BARUNDI THE FEELING OF INJUSTICE, FEAR, HATRED AND REVENGE, AND TO SEEK FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE WAY TO THEIR FEELINGS AND INDULGE IN THE SAME TYPES OF VIOLENCE". FINALLY, "ITEKA" MAKES  SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS HELPING TO "PREVENT AND DEFUSE SUCH VIOLENCES". (SEE www.cbinf.com/netpress.bi, RUBRIC "AGORA").

BURUNDI - PEACE PROCESS.

BARUNDI PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER 14 PROVINCES OF THE COUNTRY  CONVEY THEIR CONCERNS TO PRESIDENT MANDELA.

BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 16, 2000 (NET PRESS). BARUNDI PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE 14 BURUNDI PROVINCES AND MEMBERS OF 14 PROVINCE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS HAVE JUST WRITTEN TO THE MEDIATOR IN THE BURUNDI CONFLICT, FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT, NELSON MANDELA. IN THE LETTER, THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS CONSIDERING THEMSELVES AS "THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS" DECIDED TO OPENLY TELL THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL OPINION THAT "BURUNDI POPULATION IS LIKELY TO FACE AN IMMINENT TRAGIC FATE IF ARUSHA ACCORDS ARE SIGNED WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT  THE  "GENOCIDE"  PERPETRATED AGAINST ONE PART OF THE POPULATION". ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ASSOCIATIONS BELIEVE THAT IT IS "NOT UNDERSTANDABLE, NOR ADMISSIBLE THAT THE SAID ACCORDS BE SIGNED AND BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE WOULD-BE BENEFICIARIES HAVE ANY SINGLE SAY, AND ARE CONVINCED THAT THE SIGNING BEFORE CESSATION OF THE MASSACRES OF PEACEFUL CITIZENS IN VILLAGES, CAMPS FOR THE DISPLACED AND ON ROADS WILL SIMPLY BE SEEN AS GIVING TO THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS A BLANK CHECK TO CONTINUE AND COMPLETE "LEGALLY" THEIR MISSION".

BURUNDI - JUSTICE.

THE INTERNATIONAL PENAL TRIBUNAL FOR SIERRA-LEONE - AN EXAMPLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY BURUNDI.

BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 16, 2000 (NET PRESS). SIERRA-LEONE AND BURUNDI USED UP TO NOW TO BE A SHAME FOR BOTH AFRICA AND THE WHOLE MANKIND IN RESPECT TO HUMAN RIGHTS. IN BOTH COUNTRIES, THE MOST ABOMINABLE CRIMES ARE REGARDED AS A MEANS OF MAKING POLITICAL CLAIMS WITH CONSENT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THE JULY 1999 LOME PEACE ACCORD WAS INCLUDING CLAUSES OF AMNESTY FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED DURING THE 8-YEAR-LONG CIVIL WAR IN SIERRA-LEONE WHILE FODAY SANKOH'S RUF ('UNITED REVOLUTIONNARY FRONT'), WHICH WAS TO RULE THE COUNTRY, WAS BEARING RESPONSIBILITY IN THOSE CRIMES : MASSIVE KILLINGS, ASSASSINATIONS, MUTILATIONS, ETC...

IN BURUNDI,  ATROCITIES COMMITTED SINCE 1993 ARE SIMILAR AND EVEN MORE SERIOUS THAN THOSE COMMITTED IN SIERRA LEONE, SINCE A UN ENQUIRY COMMITTEE HAS QUALIFIED THEM AS ACTS OF GENOCIDE. THE SAID COMMITTEE HAD RECOMMENDED THAT BE ESTABLISHED AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL TO JUDGE THE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND OF GENOCIDE COMMITTED IN BURUNDI. WHEN THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDED ON 14 AUGUST, 2000 TO SET UP AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL TO JUDGE THE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES COMMITTED IN SIERRA LEONE, IT SHOWED THAT IT WAS AN HONOUR TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WHEN  RENDERING JUSTICE TO RELATIVES AND VICTIMS OF UNSEEN ATROCITIES IN THAT COUNTRY.

THAT GOOD EXAMPLE SHOULD ALSO INSPIRE INTERNATIONAL ACTORS IN BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS, THE ONES GRANTING AMNESTY TO  CRIMES  OF GENOCIDE, WAR CRIMES AND ANY OTHER CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD INTENSIFY EFFORTS IN THE SAME WAY AS "HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" THAT HAS SPARED NO EFFORT TO OUTCRY ATROCITIES FOR WHICH THE 'RUF' IS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE, SAYS A HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL. IN "HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" MARCH 2000 REPORT, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION DIFFERENT PUNISHABLE CRIMES COMMITTED IN BURUNDI, JUSTICE WAS TO BE PART OF PEACE PROCESS  IN RESPECT OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS. SUBSEQUENTLY, AUTHORS OF WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND CRIMES OF GENOCIDE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AND JUDGED IN BURUNDI, OTHERWISE, THIS COUNTRY  WOULD REMAIN A SHAME FOR AFRICA AND THE WORLD, A COUNTRY WHERE HANGMEN AND VICTIMS SIT TOGETHER FORCEFULLY TO SIGN AN ACCORD FORGIVING CRIMES NOT SUBJECT TO AMNESTY IN VIOLATION OF UNIVERSAL MORAL AND LAWS.

BURUNDI - REFUGEES.

THE ISSUE OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE IS THE FOCAL POINT OF A SUB-REGIONAL CONFERENCE.

BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 16, 2000 (NET PRESS). THE ISSUE OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA SUB-REGION IS BECOMING MUCH MORE PRESSING AND REQUIRING APPROPRIATE ANSWERS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR  SITUATION. THAT IS THE FRAME OF THAT  SUB-REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ISSUE OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS INSIDE THEIR OWN COUNTRY IN CENTRAL AFRICA REGION  ORGANIZED AT BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 14 - 16, 2000.

ON AUGUST 16, 2000, PARTICIPANTS WERE TO DETERMINE ANSWERS TO THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. THE SPEAKER, MR. FRANCOIS-XAVIER DOUDOU KIADILA, PRINCIPAL LEGAL ADVISER FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN AFRICA,UNHCR-GENEVA,  SAID THAT THREE ANSWERS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS.  FIRST, THE REPATRIATION MUST BE VOLUNTARY. THAT ASPECT INVOLVES THREE PARTIES INCLUDING THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, THE COUNTRY OF ASYLUM AND THE UNHCR  PAYING TRANSPORT EXPENSES AND RESETTLEMENT OF REFUGEES IN THEIR COUNTRY, AS WELL AS MONITORING OF SITUATION OF THE REPATRIATED PERSONS. SECONDLY, THE SPEAKER SUGGESTED LOCAL INTEGRATION AS ANOTHER SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO MR. KIADILA, IT IS THE PROCESS THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THE REFUGEES OR DISPLACED PERSONS TO EARN THEIR OWN LIVING AND TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE COUNTRY OR PLACE WHERE THEY HAVE FOUND REFUGE. THE PROCESS COULD END WITH NATURALIZATION. FINALLY, UNHCR EXPERT, MR. KIADILA, STATED THAT THE THIRD DURABLE SOLUTION IS RESETTLEMENT, AND THAT PROCESS IS GENERALLY INITIATED BY THE COUNTRY OF REFUGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CRITERIA AND POLICIES OF ITS OWN. THAT SOLUTION ALSO IMPLIES THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE THREE PARTNERS NAMELY  THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, THE COUNTRY OF REFUGE AND UNHCR, SAID  THE SPEAKER . IT IS WORTHWHILE NOTING THAT IN BURUNDI, THE LAST PARTNER HAS OFTEN BEEN MENTIONNED AS SUPPORTING TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS  IN GRANTING THEM "TRANSPORTATION ", NOT FOR THEIR REPATRIATION, BUT FOR TANZANIA-BASED ATTACKS TO BE LAUNCHED AGAINST THIS COUNTRY.