BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 1, 2000 (NET PRESS). "IF GOD EVER WANTED MY LIFE FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE IN BURUNDI, I WOULD DO IT WITH PLEASURE". THOSE PREMONITORY WORDS PRONOUNCED BY THE LATE BISHOP JOACHIM RUHUNA DURING HIS AUGUST 15, 1995 HOMILY WERE STILL ALIVE IN THE MEMORY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION BEARING HIS NAME AT ITS GENERAL ORDINARY ASSEMBLY HELD IN THE PREMISES OF BUJUMBURA GRAND SEMINARY ON SUNDAY JULY 30, 2000.
 
THE AMJR  ESTABLISHED IN NOVEMBER 1998 HAS BEEN REGISTERED BY A MINISTERIAL DECREE OF DECEMBER 1999. ITS OBJECTIVE IS TO PERPETUATE THE LIFE AND THE DEEDS OF THAT UNFORGETTABLE MAN OF GOD WHO WAS ASSASSINATED ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 1996 IN THE AFTERNOON, NEAR GITONGO PARISH (GITEGA PROVINCE) ON HIS WAY BACK FROM AN APOSTOLIC MISSION IN BURASIRA GRAND SEMINARY. HE DIED IN AMBUSH DIRECTED TO HIM BY THOSE WHO PRETEND TO FIGHT FOR THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY. THE ASSOCIATION MEMBERS LISTENED TO THE ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION, FATHER LIBOIRE KAGABO AND INSISTED ON KNOWING THE STATE OF PROGRESS OF THE  CASE OF THE LATE'S SUSPECTED MURDERERS. THEY WERE INFORMED THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIONS WERE UNDER WAY AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ALSO BRIEFED ABOUT THE FINDINGS WITHIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MADE SERIES OF PROPOSALS RECOMMENDING TO SUSTAIN THE IDEALS FOR WHICH THE LATE BISHOP GOOD PASTOR HAD DEVOTED HIS LIFE AND NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY HISTORY. A MAN OF PEACE, BISHOP JOACHIM RUHUNA WAS INDEED. MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXPRESSED THE WISH THAT HE BE GIVEN A POSTMORTEM AWARD BY APPROPRIATE INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNESCO, THEREBY STARTING THE (VERY) LONG  PROCEDURE OF THE LATE'S BEATIFICATION AND HIS FURTHER CANONIZATION AS  EXPRESSED BY THE GENERAL  ASSEMBLY.
 
PARTICIPANTS AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REQUESTED THAT EACH SEPTEMBER  9 BE INSTITUTIONALIZED AND BAPTIZED "BISHOP JOACHIM RUHUNA DAY". THE REASON BEHIND IS THAT, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MINIMIZE THE GREAT BISHOP'S ASSASSINATION AND DEATH AS OF ANY OTHER MAN - THOUGH, THEIR DEATH IS AS WELL A SAD ONE.  IN SUPPORT OF THIS, THE AMJR MEMBERS REMINDED THAT ON THE DAY OF THE 3rd ANNIVERSARY OF BISHOP RUHUNA'S  DEATH  SEPTEMBER 9, 1999, THEY HAD RECOMMENDED A SPECIAL MASS BE CELEBRATED IN HIS MEMORY IN THE CATHEDRAL OF GITEGA AS USUAL. THE MASS WAS INDEED CELEBRATED. HOWEVER, THE BUJUMBURA AMJR DELEGATION WAS SURPRISED TO BE TOLD UPON ARRIVAL, THAT THE CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF GITEGA WAS INSISTING TO ALSO CELEBRATE DURING THE SAME MASS THE MEMORY OF THE LATE BISHOP GABRIEL GIHIMBARE  KILLED IN 1965  A FEW WEEKS AFTER NOMINATION BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI AS BISHOP COADJUTOR OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GITEGA AND BISHOP ANTOINE GRAULS'S SUCCESSOR. BISHOP GABRIEL GIHIMBARE, A HUTU, WAS HIT BY A BULLET WHICH FIRED BY ONE OF SOLDIERS WHOSE BISHOP GIHIMBARE WAS CHAPLAIN, AND WAS SHOT "MISTAKENLY" ACCORDING TO THE THEN WITNESSES, BUT HUTU REVISIONNISTS SAY TODAY THAT HE WAS SHOT AT WITH "PREMEDITATION ".
 
SOME OF THE "AMJR" ASSOCIATION MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE MEETING DID LINK THAT ATTITUDE TO OTHER ONES OBSERVED SINCE THE COMING OF "DEMOCRACY" 7 YEARS AGO. ON  OCTOBER 13, 1993, THE LATE PRESIDENT MELCHIOR NDADAYE DID NOT AS WELL GO, AS HIS  PREDECESSORS, TO THE PRINCE LOUIS RWAGASORE'S MAUSOLEUM TO ATTEND CEREMONIES COMMEMORATING THE 32th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF THE INDEPENDENCE  HEROE. THE LATE PRESIDENT NDADAYE WAS PLANNING TO ASK THE PARLIAMENT TO ESTABLISH A COMMON DATE FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF THE MEMORIES OF "OTHER HEROES" WHO MIGHT HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR THIS COUNTRY. ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC DID NOT JOIN OTHER OFFICIALS AT KIBIMBA IN 1998 AND 1999 TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE 70 PUPILS WHO WERE BURNED TO DEATH IN 1993 IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY.
 
BURUNDI - NEGOTIATIONS.
 
THE POSITION OF THE RADDES PARTY VIS-A-VIS THE ARUSHA DRAFT ACCORD REMAINS UNEQUIVOCAL : "IT  SIMPLY REJECTS THE DRAFT AS IT STANDS".
 
BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 1, 2000 (NET PRESS). IN A COMMUNIQUE DATED AUGUST 1, 2000, THE PARTY "ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT" (RADDES) BELIEVES THAT "A DRAFT WHICH IS NOT INCLUDING CERTAIN ELEMENTS SUCH AS GENOCIDE IS SENSELESS AND DESERVES TO BE THROWN AWAY".  ACCORDING TO THE PARTY, "THE PROBLEMATIC ASPECT OF THE BURUNDI CONFLICT STARTS WITH BLOOD SHADING BETWEEN HUTU AND TUTSI, AND THE GENOCIDE IS THE GENUINE CASE". THE ACCORD TO BE A DURABLE ONE, THE RADDES PARTY DEMANDS THAT IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE GENOCIDE IN ITS CONTENT. ON THE OTHER  HAND, RADDES DENOUNCES THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM PROPOSED IN THE DRAFT WHICH IS LIKELY TO  LEAD TO THE 1993 FORMULA "THAT  HAS RESULTED IN A LETHAL DEMOCRACY".  THE COMMUNIQUE POINTS OUT THAT THE ACCORD MUST BE PRECEDED BY A CEASE-FIRE  "RESPECTED AND CLEARLY  SHOWING  WHO IS  REBEL AND WHO IS NOT".  IT ALSO REJECTS THAT THE NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES BE TREATED AS NEGLIGEABLE AND DECLARES THAT "THEY BE NOT DEMOBILIZED AS PROPOSED". (SEE "NET PRESS" SITE "RUGAMBA", RUBRIC "AGORA").
 
BURUNDI - CONFERENCE.
 
THE PARENA PARTY HOLDS A PUBLIC CONFERENCE AT LOUVAN-LA-NEUVE (BELGIUM).
 
LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, AUGUST 1,  2000 (NET PRESS). THE PARTY FOR NATIONAL RECOVERY (PARENA - PARTI POUR LE REDRESSEMENT NATIONAL) HELD A PUBLIC  CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY 29 JULY, 2000 AT LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE (BELGIUM). THE TOPIC WAS : "THE INTER-BURUNDIAN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AT THEIR CRUCIAL STAGE - THE POSITION OF THE PARENA PARTY"  AND IT WAS PRESIDED BY MR. GILBERT SINDAYIGAYA WHO WAS THE PARENA DELEGATE AT THE RECENT ROUND OF ARUSHA NEGOTIATIONS.
 
ACCORDING TO MR. SINDAYIGAYA, THE CURRENT PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS STARTED IN FACT IN 1996 AT MWANZA WITH SERIES OF TALKINGS ORGANIZED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE LATE MWALIMU JULIUS K. NYERERE. AS FOR THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS, HE INSISTED ON NOT INDULGING IN AMALGAM REGARDING TO POLITICAL PRISONERS : "PARENA PRISONERS JAILED FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS ARE THE ONES WHOM WE CALL POLITICAL PRISONERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED FOR THEY OPINIONS. IT IS OUT OF QUESTION THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASSASSINATED OTHER CITIZENS OR LEADERS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BE CONSIDERED AS POLITICAL PRISONERS. THE PLACE OF THE MURDERERS AND ANY OTHER CRIMINALS IS IN PRISON AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE SO". THE PARENA DELEGATE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN WHY PEOPLE'S SPIRITS ARE HEATED ON THE EVE OF THE SIGNING OF THE ARUSHA ACCORDS AND  HE HIGHLIGHTED THE POSITION OF PARENA IN REGARD TO THE MAIN PENDING ISSUES NAMELY : THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WILL RULE DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, THE ISSUE OF GENOCIDE AND GENOCIDE SURVIVORS, THE ISSUE OF DEFENSE AND SECURITY FORCES AND FINALLY AND  THE ONE RELATING TO THE CEASE-FIRE. (SEE "NET PRESS" SITE "RUGAMBA", "AGORA").
 
BURUNDI - SOUTH AFRICA.
 
END OF SOUTH-AFRICAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISIT.
 
BUJUMBURA, AUGUST 1, 2000 (NET PRESS). SOUTH-AFRICA MINISTER FOR DEFENSE, MR. MOSIOUA LEKOTA, LEFT  BUJUMBURA THIS AUGUST 1, 2000 AT NOON, AT THE END OF A 3-DAY VISIT TO BURUNDI. ACCORDING TO CERTAIN SOURCES, MR. LEKOTA COULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO BURUNDI TO FIND OUT WHERE BARUNDI LEADERS STAND AND TO VERIFY ON THE SPOT  "ALLEGATIONS" OF THE BURUNDIAN GOVERNMENT  OVER REPEATED ATTACKS OF THE REBELS FROM TANZANIAN TERRITORY. THE VISIT HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE AT THE MOMENT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS REPORTEDLY NOT INTENDING TO SIGN "AN ACCORD WHICH IS  UNBALANCED" AND  IS CONTINUING TO SET AS A PREREQUISITE TO THE SIGNING OF A POSSIBLE "VIABLE" AGREEMENT AT ARUSHA THE "CEASING OF VIOLENCES BY ARMED GROUPS".
 
THE SOUTH-AFRICAN MINISTER FOR DEFENSE  HELD MEETINGS WITH THE HIGHEST RANKING OFFICIALS OF THIS COUNTRY INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT, THE MINISTERS FOR DEFENSE AND FOR PEACE PROCESS AND WITH THE GOVERNMENT DELEGATION AT ARUSHA NEGOTIATIONS. MR. MOSIOUA LEKOTA WENT TO BURUNDI-TANZANIA BORDER, NAMELY AT GIHOFI (RUTANA PROVINCE) WHERE HE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNORS OF THE PROVINCES OF BURURI, RUTANA, MAKAMBA AND RUYIGI, AS WELL AS THE COMMANDERS OF THE 2nd AND 5th MILITARY REGIONS. ALL THOSE LEADERS TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS NOT EASY TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL SITUATION THERE DUE TO REPEATED ATTACKS BY TANZANIA-BASED TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS GROUPS ESTABLISHED ALONG THE BORDER IN BARUNDI REFUGEE CAMPS IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS. THEY ALSO INFORMED THE SOUTH-AFRICAN DEFENSE MINISTER THAT THE SAME GROUPS OF KILLERS CONTINUE TO ATTACK BURUNDI FROM THE EAST OF THE DR CONGO  WHICH IS UNCONTROLLED AND THEY INSISTED ON HIS CONVEYING THAT MESSAGE TO THE MEDIATOR. ACCORDING TO CERTAIN SOURCES, THE SOUTH-AFRICAN MINISTER FOR DEFENSE MIGHT HAVE  INSISTED ON  HIS BARUNDI HOSTS "TO REMAIN  MEN OF HONOUR AND ABIDE TO THEIR WORDS ".  ACCORDING TO SOME OTHER SOURCES HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT MINISTER LEKOTO MIGHT HAVE COME HERE TO APPRAISE THE CHANCES OF THE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION AND THE CLEAR WAY  FOR IT.