Dar es Salaam — A ceasefire agreement was signed early Tuesday between the warring parties in Burundi. The peace deal commits the government of President Pierre Buyoya and the rebel Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) of Pierre Nkurunziza to stop fighting and to reach agreement on a transition and return to democracy in Burundi.
The truce was signed across the border in neighbouring Tanzania, in the town of Arusha, after months of horse-trading and negotiations and after 9 years of civil war in Burundi. It comes into force at the end of the month.
AllAfrica.com's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton caught up with the Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa, in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, after news of the agreement was announced.
The Tanzanian leader attended the final stages of the negotiations in Arusha, along with President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, was also present. They all left before the signing ceremony, but the South African deputy president, Jacob Zuma, chief negotiator in the Burundi peace talks, and Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni who chaired the summit on Burundi, were both there.
Mkapa told AllAfrica he was confident the signing of the ceasefire accord was a first step towards returning peace to Burundi.
It's a great challenge, it's a great challenge. I hope it works. We'll do everything in our power to make sure that the ceasefire is instituted and assist with the process of building a new national army, with the confidence and cooperation between the various political parties. We want to ensure that the process of national integration of the army takes place.
But how confident are you that the ceasefire will hold? There have been past agreements, pledges and so many failed promises and problems in Burundi?
But that's the way it goes with the negotiations with Burundi. Remember this is the sixth or seventh year. Every time we say we will make a move. Every time we say we won't get a ceasefire. But every time we make a move and another move and now we have a ceasefire.
Do you believe this ceasefire agreement between the government and the FDD rebel group will lead to lasting peace in Burundi?
I believe the ceasefire can be instituted and I believe that we can use that ceasefire to build peace in Burundi.
But not all parties to the conflict have been involved in the negotiations in Arusha, so they have not pledged to lay down their arms and they have been threatened with regional sanctions if they don't stop fighting . . .
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Well of course, we have one armed group the Palipehutu-FNL, which was not party to the negotiations in Arusha. But the big armed groups have negotiated and have acquiesced to the ceasefire prospect. And I think that our collective effort in the region will be able to persuade the remaining group to come on board.
Really ?
Yes.
When?
I hope before December 30th, so that when the ceasefire comes into force in Burundi it comes into forces for everyone.
