http://www.cbinf.com/netpress.bi

Two armed Burundian groups adamant on ceasefire.

Friday, September 29, 2000
By  Peter Tindwa (The Guardian, Dar es salaam).

Two main armed rebel groups of Burundi have vowed never to sign a
ceasefire accord with the Bujumbura military government in any member
country of the Great Lakes region. Highly placed sources among 19 Burundian parties, toldThe Guardian in Dar es Salaam in an exclusive interview yesterday, that the two rebel leaders, Col. Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye of CNDD-FDD, and Kabura Kosani of
PALIPEHUTU-FLN, have rejected the directive to sign a ceasefire deal.
Sources stated that Col. Jean-Bosco himself has stressed not to take part in a direct ceasefire negotiations with the Burundi military government.
 

According to the sources, the CNDD-FDD rebel leader has been hesitant to take part in ceasefire talks with the Bujumbura government, especially if such direct negotiations would be held within the Great Lakes region. "Col. Jean-Bosco is worried about his security in countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda together with Burundi," the sources hinted. The sources say already Col. Jean-Bosco fears that a danger might befall him and his colleague from the PALIPEHUTU-FLN, Kosani.  

"The international facilitator in Burundi conflict, retired South African president, Nelson Mandela, must be advised that both Jean-Bosco and Kosani can't sign a ceasefire pact in the Great Lakes region because they are jointly fighting against Rwandese and Ugandan military troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," sources said. Sources added that Col. Jean-Bosco with his gunmen have been fighting in the DRC and are currently holding Katanga Province. 

Earlier, the Burundian President, Major Pierre Buyoya, was reported to have said in Bujumbura that the next big meeting on Burundi conflict would be held inside the tiny central African country.On the just ended Nairobi Summit on the Burundi conflict, the sources hinted that there was a consensus between President Mandela and both Col. Jean-Bosco and Kosani in South Africa, insisting that a joint declaration on cessation of hostilities was to be issued during the Nairobi summit. Though representatives of the Burundi government attended the Nairobi summit, Col. Jean-Bosco dispatched only a weak representative called Jacques Ngendakumana, who could not sanction anything tangible, the sources said. Kosani accompanied by a five-man team, had pledged nothing before President Mandela, apart from coming up with new conditions before starting direct ceasefire negotiations, according to the sources. 

"We were not expecting too much from the Nairobi Summit. But, a 30-day ultimatum given to rebel leaders to assent the signed Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement is a fresh step forward for realising a durable solution to the Burundi conflict," the sources stressed. In the meantime, for all consecutive four days of talks in Arusha among 19 Burundian parties up to yesterday, the delegations have only adopted six agenda. Reports from Arusha reaching The Guardian in Dar es Salaam yesterday, said that there was no consensus on issues of reservations given by the Burundi military government and the G10, a group of 10
 political parties mainly dominated by Tutsis. There was disagreement among 19 parties on amendments proposed by the G7, mainly political parties dominated by Hutus, sources stated. Six adopted agenda include setting-up of an implementation committee of the signed peace and reconciliation accord, signing of commitment and will among parties, implementation calendar, transitional leadership, technical corrections and deleting of contradicting areas together with unclear provisions.