DR CONGO - SECURITY.
 
“THE SUB-REGION PEACE ACCORDS ONLY YIELDS ROTTEN FRUITS” SAYS DR BIZIMA KARAHA OF THE RD CONGO WHO WISHES GOOD LUCK TO BURUNDI PEACE ACCORD.

UVIRA, JULY 21, 2000 (NET PRESS). FOLLOWING A RENEWAL OF INSECURITY AGAINST THE BANYAMULENGE COMMUNITY BANYAMULENGE WOMEN HAVE ORGANIZED A DEMONSTRATION AT UVIRA (SOUTH KIVU) TO DENOUNCE THE SAVAGERY  OF THE   CONGOLESE MAYI-MAYI, THE RWANDESE INTERAHAMWE AND THE BURUNDIAN CNDD-FDD. WOMEN BESIEGED THE RESIDENCE OF DR BIZIMA KARAHA ASKING TO SPEAK TO HIM AND VOICE THEIR CONCERN . WHEN DR KARAHA WHO IS  THE CONGOLESE RALLY FOR DEMOCRACY’S (RCD) MINISTER FOR SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE RECEIVED THEM, THEY ASKED HIM TO MAKE SURE THAT  THE BANYAMULENGE KIDNAPPED BY THE MAYI-MAYI AND COMPANY  BE RELEASED AND THAT ADMINISTRATION OFFICERS TAKE MORE CARE OVER THE FATE OF THEIR PEOPLE AND THAT UVIRA ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAS FLED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF  EVENTS COME BACK NO MORE SINCE HE HAS BETRAYED HIS CITIZENS AND THAT THE RCD STRIVE TO ADDRESS MORE THE PROBLEMS OF THE UNDERPRIVILEGED. DR KARAHA WHO WAS ALSO GIVEN A MEMORANDUM AIMED AT RCD CHAIRMAN, DR EMILE ILUNGA, DID NOT DISCLOSE ITS CONTENT.
WHEN DR KARAHA WAS CONTACTED BY “NET PRESS” BY TELEPHONE HE SAID THAT SECURITY MEASURES WERE BEING TAKEN AMONG WHICH THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE TO WORK OUT LOCAL SELF-DEFENSE AND THAT THOSE WOMEN HAD WELL UNDERSTOOD HIS MESSAGE AND WERE NOW WAITING FOR CONCRETE ACTIONS. HE THEN SAID THAT THIS INCREASED INSECURITY WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RCD HAD TRUSTED THE CEASE-FIRE ADVOCATED BY THE LUSAKA ACCORD SIGNED BY THE RCD ON 31 AUGUST, 1999, BUT VERY UNFORTUNATELY THE OTHER PARTY “HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT CEASE-FIRE TO RESORT TO THE NEGATIVE FORCES OF BARUNDI CNDD-FDD, THE RWANDESE INTERAHAMWE AND  FORMER RWANDA ARMY AND THE MAYI-MAYI” ATTACKING EASTWARDS AND ARE NOW COLLABORATING WITH FULERO AND BEMBE TRIBES KEEPING THE BANYAMULENGE COMMUNITY INTO DESPAIR .
THUS A MEETING OF INTELLECTUALS “ON THE EVALUATION OF THE LUSAKA ACCORDS AND ITS IMPACTS IN THE SUB-REGION” WAS ORGANIZED TODAY. DR KARAHA HAS DEPLORED THE FACT THAT PEACE ACCORDS SIGNED IN THE SUB-REGION DO ONLY YIELD ROTTEN FRUITS. AS AN ILLUSTRATION  HE RECALLED THE PEACE ACCORD IN RWANDA WHICH RESULTED IN GENOCIDE AND THE LUSAKA ACCORD ON CONGO DID NOT PROTECT THE BANYAMULENGE FROM “ ETHNIC CLEANSING” AND HE SAID “WE WISH GOOD LUCK TO THE ARUSHA PEACE ACCORD ON BURUNDI” WHICH ACCORDING TO DR BIZIMA KARAHA, WILL RESTORE PEACE IN THE REGION.

BURUNDI - SECURITY.
 
THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS AMBUSH 2 TRAILERS ON THE RIVER RUVUBU.
 
GITEGA, JULY 21, 2000 (NET PRESS). ACCORDING TO GITEGA LOCAL SOURCES THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS MIGHT HAVE BEGUN SINCE EARLIER THIS WEEK RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF GITEGA. THUS SMALL GROUPS OF TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS HAVE BEEN TRACED IN THE COMMUNES OF BUGENDANA AND GIHETA AND THE GOVERNOR OR GITEGA TOLD “NET PRESS” THIS MORNING THAT THOSE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS HAD THE INTENTION TO GO TO THE FOREST OF KIBIRA AND BUJUMBURA RURAL PROVINCE VIA THE PROVINCE OF GITEGA. HE ADDED THAT SECURITY FORCES ARE STILL TRUCKING THEM AND  DO NOT LEAVE THEM IN PEACE.  AS A MATTER OF FACT  THE SMALL GROUP OF TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS (ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL POPULATION ABOUT ONE DOZEN PEOPLE) THAT AMBUSHED AROUND 16, 30 O’CLOCK 2 TRAILERS ON THE RIVER RUVUBU SHORT OFF THE BRIDGE “PEKING” HAD JUST BEEN CHASED BY SECURITY FORCES FROM BUGENDANA.
IT IS TO BE POINTED OUT THAT THE 2 LORRIES BELONGING TO A BUJUMBURA-BASED TRADER WHOSE NAME IS NASSOR KITCHWA.  TRUCKS HAD  TRANSITED IN KOBERO (MUYINGA PROVINCE) FROM TANZANIA AND HAD BEEN FORCED TO STOP DUE TO A HEAVY SHOOTING OF THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS. PASSENGERS ON BOARD DID NOT HAVE MONEY BUT WERE NOT  TROUBLED  SINCE ALL OF THEM WERE HUTU. HOWEVER THE  TRUCKS WERE BURNED DOWN. A PRIEST OF MUGERA PARISH AND A REGIDESO (WATER AND ENERGY SUPPLYING AUTHORITY) EMPLOYEE WERE FORCED NOT TO USE THEIR OWN MEANS OF TRANSPORT, NAMELY A CAR AND A MOTORCYCLE, AND THEY HAD TO WALK FROM RUVUBU RIVER (MUTWENZI) TO MUGERA TO AVOID BEEING SPOTED BY THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS’ ATTENTION. TO RECOVER THEIR VEHICLES , THEY HAD TO TURN TO SECURITY FORCES FOR HELP. THE TERRORISTS-GENOCIDERS WHO ALWAYS AVOID CONTACTS WITH  THE ARMY FLED IMMEDIATELY TOWARDS THE COMMUNE OF BUTAGANZWA, RUYIGI PROVINCE, KEEPING CLOSE TO THE FRONTIER BETWEEN THE PROVINCES OF GITEGA AND KARUZI.
 
 
BURUNDI - TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
 
THE ISSUE OF THE ONATEL  CENTRAL TELEPHONE BOARD IS ABOUT TO BE CLOSED .
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 21, 2000 (NET PRESS). THE ISSUE RELATING TO THE ONATEL (BURUNDI TELECOMMUNUNICATIONS AUTHORITY)  CENTRAL TELEPHONE BOARD  IS STILL MUCH IN THE NEWS. FOLLOWING A SECOND BID TENDER OF WHICH NOTHING STILL CAME OUT THIS  LAST JUNE, A NEW TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE  HELD A MEETING JULY 13-19, 2000 AT BUTA, BURURI PROVINCE INSTEAD OF GITEGA PROVINCE AS PREVIOUSLY DONE.
 
 TO LEARN  MORE, “NET PRESS” CONTACTED MR. EMMANUEL SINZINKAYO, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF BURUNDI PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE SUB-COMMITTEE HELD A MEETING AT BUTA AND THAT IT HAS ALREADY EXAMINED THE  FINANCIAL BID TENDERS. RESULTS ARE NOT YET  DISCLOSED, HE SAID, AND WILL BE CONVEYED TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON MONDAY 24 JULY, 2000. MR. EMMANUEL SINZINKAYO ALSO POINTED OUT THAT INVOLVED MINISTERS HAVE DEMANDED THAT THE  REPORT BE PRODUCED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND GET THE  QUESTION SETTLED.
MR. AUGUSTIN NDABIHORE, ONATEL DIRECTOR GENERAL, ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE NEW SUB-COMMITTEE MET AT BUTA JULY 13-19, 2000 AND POINTED OUT THAT ITS REPORT WAS ALREADY  WITH THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SERVICES WHO DOES NOT YET HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISCLOSE IT  TO THE PRESS TILL MONDAY AFTER CENTRAL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROCUREMENT METTING AT 9 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
ACCORDING TO NON OFFICIAL INFORMATION THE COMPANY “ALCATEL” COULD BE NUMBER ONE. IT IS TO BE RECALLED THAT THE COMPANY “GALINT&TELRAD” HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED NUMBER ONE TWICE IN THE DUAL FIGHT WITH  “ALCATEL”. THE AFFAIR IS THEN LIKELY TO MOVE IN FAVOR OF THE OTHER SIDE.

BURUNDI - MEDIA.
 
THE PRESS CLUB TO RECOVER THE COMPOUND LOCATED IN 1, AVENUE DES TRAVAILLEURS.
 
BUJUMBURA, JULY 21, 2000 (NET PRESS). ON 18 JULY, 2000 THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND EQUIPMENT, MR. GASPARD NTIRAMPEBA, CANCELLED THE DECISION TO TAKE AWAY THE HOUSE LOCATED IN 1, AVENUE DES TRAVAILLEURS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALLOCATED TO THE PRESS CLUB ON MARCH 27, 2000 AND THEREAFTER THE PERMANENT SECRETARY (CHIEF OF CABINET) OF THE SAID MINISTRY HAD WITHDRAWN THREE MONTHS LATER. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT “NET PRESS” , THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATION AND GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, DR LUC RUKINGAMA,  HAS TAKEN AN ENERGETIC FIGHT TO RECOVER THE COMPOUND HAS FINALLY  WON THE BATTLE.

BURUNDI - NEGOTIATIONS.
 
PIT WOMEN’S DELEGATION  PARTICIPATING IN THE FORUM OF BARUNDI WOMEN MEMBERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES EXPRESSES ITS VIEWS OVER...

ARUSHA, JULY 21, 2000 (NET PRESS). FOLLOWING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION TO WHICH BARUNDI WOMEN ARE SUBJECT SINCE 1961, THEY BLAME THE MEN WHO ONLY REMEMBER THEM “WHEN THINGS COME TO GATHERING THE NUMBER OF VOTERS AT THE MOMENT OF THE ELECTIONS, SOON AFTER FORGET THEM AS THE RESULTS OF THE BALLOTS ARE KNOWN”. ACCORDING TO A DECLARATION RELEASED ON 19 JULY, 2000, THEY THUS CLAIM THAT WOMEN“ENJOY EQUAL  RIGHTS AS MEN IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND  IN CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MOST AFFECTED BY CONFLICTS”.
AS FOR ARUSHA NEGOTIATIONS, WOMEN ARE DENOUNCING “THOSE WHO SAY THAT THEY ARE COMBATING FOR DEMOCRACY WHILE THEY ARE ADVOCATING THE PHILOSOPHY OF GENOCIDE, LIKEWISE THOSE WHO PRETEND “TO LIBERATE HUTU PEOPLE” WHILE THEY ARE KILLING THEM, RAPE THEM AND LOOT THEIR PROPERTY”.
THOSE WOMEN ASK THEN THE NEGOTIATORS AMONG OTHER THINGS TO LEAVE ASIDE THEIR ETHNIC HATRED AND THEIR RESENTMENT AND TO THINK ABOUT INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING EVERY DAY, AND TO STOP VIOLENCE AND TO REACH A PERMANENT CEASE-FIRE.
 
THEY ASK THE MEDIATOR TO HELP “THE NEGOTIATORS UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY TO INCLUDE WOMEN IN THE PROCESS OF SEARCH FOR PEACE”. IT IS TO BE RECALLED THAT THIS FORUM IS BEING HELD AT ARUSHA SINCE THIS MONDAY JULY 17, 2000 LOOKING INTO WAYS  WOMEN COULD INFLUENCE THE PEACE ACCORD.