Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bujumbura (Fides Service)- “The news of a cease-fire offered by the remaining rebel group still active has been received with cautious optimism” local Church sources in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi told Fides. The group, the National Liberation Forces (FNL), announced that it has offered the Burundian government a cease fire promising there will be no more attacks.
“The situation appears in fact somewhat calmer although there were reports of shooting yesterday 13 April in the city outskirts” the sources told Fides. “It remains to be seen if the rebels mean what they say. The leader Agathon Rwasa, not seen for years and said to be dead more than once, is expected to appear in public. If he sits at the negotiating table we can say that the rebels are seriously committed to ending the war” the sources told Fides.
The peace negotiations are sponsored by Tanzania anxious to see hundreds of thousands of refugees from Burundi repatriated and stability returned to the area.
Since 1993 Burundi has been devastated by civil war between the mainly Tutsi government army and a number of groups of Hutu rebels which has cost at least 300,000 lives. In 2000 in Arusha (Tanzania) an agreement was reached to form an interim government with members of all the parties bot not the rebel groups. A later agreement reached in Dar es Salaam in 2003 signed by the government and the Forces for the Defence of Democracy main rebel group opened prospects for peace. Now it is the turn of the FNL which controls the hills around Bujumbura, from where at irregular intervals it fires mortar shells on civilians homes.
With a referendum on 28 February the people gave their approval to the country’s new constitution (see 1 March 2005). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/4/2005 righe 29 parole 353)
