United Nations (New York)
13 December 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
He said the Summit had agreed, however, to the Palipehutu-FNL demand for the release of political and war prisoners, and the appointment of its leaders into the organs of State, both of which had previously been agreed by President Pierre Nkurunziza, who had offered 33 positions for senior Palipehutu-FNL members in State institutions. In order for them to participate in national politics, however, the Summit said the party must change its name, given that "Palipehutu" meant "party for the liberation of the Hutu people" and the inclusion of that term in a political party's name would contravene the Constitution. The party was currently informing members about that decision. Also agreed at the Summit, as part of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process, reporting to assembly areas by Palipehutu-FNL combatants would begin tomorrow, 12 December, and be completed by 31 December.
After many years of distrust between the parties and relapses into violence, the situation in the country was now calm, he said, adding that the Facilitation had been instructed by the Great Lakes Regional Initiative to implement the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement fully by 31 December. The period from 1 to 31 January would be used as a "mop-up" phase. The Facilitation team would scale down its operations and the African Union special task force would begin its withdrawal, which should be completed by the end of March, when the Facilitation would also close down.
ANDERS LIDÉN (Sweden), Chair of the Burundi Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, said the close collaboration between the Council and the Commission was essential in the case of Burundi, a country that now seemed to be on the right track towards the consolidation of peace. However, it was situated in a very volatile region and needed the sustained support of the international community to prevent it from relapsing into armed conflict. Peace and stability in Burundi was a key building block for peace and stability in the region as a whole. The implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement was a first crucial step for effective peacebuilding.
He recalled that, in discussions with Burundians during his visit in late October, they had referred to peace and security as the "number one priority". They needed security to move on with their lives and to believe in the future. The breakthrough last week in talks between the Government and Palipehutu-FNL was, therefore, good news indeed. The Declaration signed last week should bring an end to the conflict, giving Palipehutu-FNL the opportunity to enter political life as a party under a new name. There was now a need to support the Burundians in order to ensure that, this time around, the agreement could be implemented fully. "If we fail to do so and allow things to fall apart, the consequences for Burundi and the region could be devastating."
The strategic framework for peacebuilding in Burundi, as well as the conclusions of the biannual review in June, provided a strong call for Peacebuilding Commission support for the peace process, he said. The Commission would convene a country-specific meeting tomorrow to hear from the regional actors, the Burundian Government, the United Nations and other interested parties about the most urgent needs for the ceasefire's implementation. The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process must move on with urgency. The Commission had ensured there was an immediate World Bank programme in place and further support must be mobilized for other priorities, including the transformation of Palipehutu-FNL into a political party ready to participate in the 2010 elections, and for regional engagement to remain on the ground. International involvement, in particular through the African Union and the Regional Initiative, would continue to be crucial.
Mutual trust, as well as confidence in the institutions of the State, would be necessary to prepare for the electoral process and it was crucial that the 2010 elections be considered free and fair, he stressed. Peacebuilding in Burundi was a long-term partnership for peace and development, requiring sustained resources and coordination. The Peacebuilding Commission's biannual review on January 2009 would provide an opportunity to review progress and to call for further international support.
The joint efforts to consolidate peace would also lay the foundation for full-scale implementation of the Government's poverty reduction strategy, he said. There would be a need to further enhance the integrated structure of BINUB and the United Nations country team to ensure the Organization's effective support of peacebuilding in Burundi. The Peacebuilding Commission in New York would not be able to prove its relevance without the effective coordination and involvement of all stakeholders on the ground in Bujumbura.
Statements
AUGUSTIN NSANZE (Burundi) said the 4 December Regional Initiative Summit in Bujumbura had reached a positive conclusion, thanks to the Secretary-General, among others. Burundi agreed with the Secretary-General's recommendation to extend BINUB's mandate by 12 months and to review progress and problems in June 2009, in order to prepare for its transfer from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to the Department of Political Affairs.
He said there was no reason to dwell on the events occurring between 15 May and 10 November as described in the report, because the Summit had led to a positive conclusion that had restored hope and the Government now wished to move on to the next stage. As for the incident in which BINUB vehicles had been attacked, the dispute between BINUB and former employees of the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) was now being studied by labour-relations bodies in terms of international labour law.
Welcoming United Nations efforts to implement its integrated peacebuilding support strategy over the past two years, he expressed the hope that the mandate extension would enhance implementation through better alignment of all United Nations agencies. As for the report's consideration of democratic governance, there was a need to revisit that aspect, with particular regard to the organization of the 2010 elections, in order to clear up any misunderstandings. The Government was in the process of establishing an independent national electoral commission.
Saying he was struck by references in the report to freedom of expression and human rights in general, he pointed out that the Government was setting up an independent national human rights commission. While a number of arrests had been reported, they should not overshadow Government efforts to restore order in a country that was emerging from 40 years of military dictatorship and a dozen years of inter-ethnic civil war. Nobody was above the law, including journalists, who might express themselves without regard for the ethical code that governed their profession.
Noting that his country had a growth rate of 4.5 per cent, he said Burundi's performance could be enhanced further if the completion point was being reached as planned and external debt was forgiven. Burundi encouraged foreign investors to visit the country, which had a new investment law, and to look into the tourism and mining sectors as areas of interest.
SAUL WEISLEDER (Costa Rica), supporting the extension of BINUB's mandate, commended the Facilitation and the parties in Burundi on the recent agreements. However, it was a cause of concern that child soldiers were still deployed by Palipehutu-FNL, which should release them immediately. Another cause of concern was the detention of opposition and media members, among others. The establishment of an independent human rights commission was welcome, but that did not allay those concerns. Costa Rica called on the Burundian authorities to respect the rights of assembly and freedom of the press.
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