Peace deal signed in Burundi
2005-05-16 09:53
Dar Es Salaam - Burundian President Dominitien Ndayizeye and the head of the country's last active rebel group said they were ending hostilities late on Sunday, paving the way to an end to a 12-year civil war in the Central African state.
Ndayizeye and Agathon Rwasa, the head of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) — the sole rebel group yet to disarm — signed a joint statement in Dar es Salaam announcing "an immediate end to hostilities".
Both agreed to set up a technical commission within a month to work out the mechanism for a ceasefire to go into effect.
"We hope a ceasefire and negotiations can be brought to an end as quickly as possible," said Ndayizeye.
"The (peace) train has left the station, and if questions come up in the course of the journey, we'll discuss them and find a solution," Rwasa said, calling on his fighters to exercise discipline.
Burundi, a small central African country bordering on Tanzania, has been historically dominated by Tutsis who make up only 14% of the population. A civil war between the mainly Tutsi army and rebels of the Hutu majority began in October 1993 and has claimed more than 300 000 lives.
Peace talks
The talks were held at the Tanzanian presidential residence, where President Benjamin Mkapa was their host for discussions. Ndadizeye had previously made clear he would not formally negotiate any details face to face with the FNL.
The Burundi leaders, both members of the Hutu majority, greeted and embraced one another and discussed how the FNL could become the last of seven rebel forces to lay down its arms and join a political process leading to elections this year.
The head of the United Nations mission in Burundi, ONUB, said the ceasefire talks it would help support disarmament efforts.
"ONUB will support the process under way, in particular with technical support for disarmament, and we will do everything to integrate the FNL in the process," Carolyn McAskie said.
Rwasa, whose rebels are active in only one of the country's provinces, right around the capital, had been waiting in Dar es Salaam since the end of April. The FNL has yet to join six other rebel forces, including the main one, that laid down their arms and have become part of a political settlement process.
The main rebel movement, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) and its political wing, have become part of a transitional power-sharing process due over the course of 2005 to lead to a marathon series of polls and give Tutsis and Hutus parity in politics and the security forces.
The FNL has its own political wing, which is the oldest Hutu opposition party in the country, the Hutu People's Liberation Party (Palipehutu), founded in 1980. Rwasa on April 25 in Tanzania made a personal commitment to peace talks.
Previous bids to bring the two sides together, in the Netherlands in January 2003 and in Nairobi in November 2003 led to nothing.