Zuma heads peace push in Burundi
by Agency Staff,
2016-02-26 05:55:45.0
NAIROBI — A delegation of five African heads of state, led by President Jacob Zuma, arrived in Bujumbura on Thursday for a two-day visit to push for talks to end Burundi’s political crisis.
The visit comes days after a trip by United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon to Burundi as part of growing international efforts to bring an end to 10 months of deadly turmoil in the central African country. The African Union (AU) agreed to send the delegation — which includes the leaders of Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania and Senegal — during its January summit when Burundi faced down a plan to deploy 5,000 peacekeepers to the country.
A Burundian government spokesman said the AU delegation’s visit would "confirm that there is peace and security in Burundi" and that peacekeepers were not necessary. However, Mr Zuma arrived with a personal guard of 50 soldiers and six army trucks mounted with machine guns for his 10-minute drive to the city centre.
Mr Ban, on his first visit since the crisis erupted, met President Pierre Nkurunziza on Tuesday and said he had won a guarantee that "inclusive dialogue" would begin between the government and its opponents.
But the main umbrella opposition group, CNARED, whose leaders are in exile, dismissed it as a "false opening", saying Mr Nkurunziza did not want real negotiations to bring peace.
The opposition was angered by the president’s apparent attempt to choose who should participate when he said the dialogue would include all Burundians "except those engaged in acts of destabilisation". Previous talks have failed, with the Burundian government refusing to sit down with some of its opponents, who it accuses of involvement in a failed coup last May and months of violence.
"The heads of state are coming to consult with the government and other stakeholders on the revival of an inclusive dialogue," said an African diplomat in Bujumbura who did not want to be named. The issue of deploying a peacekeeping force was not on the agenda, he said.
CNARED chairman Leonard Nyangoma welcomed the delegation’s visit but held out little hope of a breakthrough.
"Nkurunziza is a diehard and without strong pressure and real sanctions he will never agree to the meaningful negotiations that are the only way out of this crisis," he said.
Burundi’s upheaval was triggered by Mr Nkurunziza’s controversial decision last April to run for a third term, which he won in an election in July.
Over 400 people have been killed since April and 240,000 have left the country. Violent attacks have raised fears of a return to the civil war fought from 1993 to 2006 in which 300,000 people died.
AFP
President Jacob Zuma and President Pierre Nkurunziza inspect the guard of honour after his arrival at Bujumbura International Airport in Burundi last week. Picture: GCIS
NAIROBI — A delegation of five African heads of state, led by President Jacob Zuma, arrived in Bujumbura on Thursday for a two-day visit to push for talks to end Burundi’s political crisis.
The visit comes days after a trip by United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon to Burundi as part of growing international efforts to bring an end to 10 months of deadly turmoil in the central African country. The African Union (AU) agreed to send the delegation — which includes the leaders of Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania and Senegal — during its January summit when Burundi faced down a plan to deploy 5,000 peacekeepers to the country.
A Burundian government spokesman said the AU delegation’s visit would "confirm that there is peace and security in Burundi" and that peacekeepers were not necessary. However, Mr Zuma arrived with a personal guard of 50 soldiers and six army trucks mounted with machine guns for his 10-minute drive to the city centre.
Mr Ban, on his first visit since the crisis erupted, met President Pierre Nkurunziza on Tuesday and said he had won a guarantee that "inclusive dialogue" would begin between the government and its opponents.
But the main umbrella opposition group, CNARED, whose leaders are in exile, dismissed it as a "false opening", saying Mr Nkurunziza did not want real negotiations to bring peace.
The opposition was angered by the president’s apparent attempt to choose who should participate when he said the dialogue would include all Burundians "except those engaged in acts of destabilisation". Previous talks have failed, with the Burundian government refusing to sit down with some of its opponents, who it accuses of involvement in a failed coup last May and months of violence.
"The heads of state are coming to consult with the government and other stakeholders on the revival of an inclusive dialogue," said an African diplomat in Bujumbura who did not want to be named. The issue of deploying a peacekeeping force was not on the agenda, he said.
CNARED chairman Leonard Nyangoma welcomed the delegation’s visit but held out little hope of a breakthrough.
"Nkurunziza is a diehard and without strong pressure and real sanctions he will never agree to the meaningful negotiations that are the only way out of this crisis," he said.
Burundi’s upheaval was triggered by Mr Nkurunziza’s controversial decision last April to run for a third term, which he won in an election in July.
Over 400 people have been killed since April and 240,000 have left the country. Violent attacks have raised fears of a return to the civil war fought from 1993 to 2006 in which 300,000 people died.
AFP
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