Security Council welcomes calm in Burundi, calls on rebels to give up armed struggle

The United Nations Security Council today welcomed the relative calm in Burundi following a series of rebel attacks on the capital Bujumbura in early July, and called on all opposition groups to give up the armed struggle and to respect human rights.

In a press statement following a briefing on recent developments in Burundi, the Council's President for August, Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe of Syria, said that while the 15-member body welcomed the relative calm since ebbing of July's wave of fighting, it nonetheless reiterated its condemnation of all violence, in particular the atrocities committed against the civilian population and the use of children in warfare.

Welcoming the release of Burundian members of Parliament who had been held by the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD-Nkurunziza), Ambassador Wehbe said the Council had called on the rebellions, including the Palipehutu Forces Nationales de Libération (FNL-Rwasa) to " give up the armed struggle and appealed to all parties to respect the rights of children."

Ambassador Wehbe stressed the Council members' full support for the peace process outlined in the Arusha Agreement of 28 August 2000 and for the quest by the parties for a political solution within that framework. Council members also welcomed the resolution adopted on 17 July by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishing an ad hoc advisory group on Burundi in the framework of its mechanism for African countries emerging from conflict.

"The members of the Council also welcomed the commitments made by the parties concerned during their meeting in Dar es Salaam on 20 July and the role played in that connection by the Member States of the regional initiative on Burundi," the Council President said, adding that they encouraged the Burundian parties - the FDD-Nkurunziza and the Governments concerned, particularly those of neighbouring States - to make every effort to carry out those commitments.

Council members "expressed the hope that the negotiations taking place would lead rapidly to the implementation of a comprehensive agreement in time for the next summit of the Regional Initiative," Ambassador Wehbe said.

He said members reaffirmed the Council's urgent appeal to the FNL-Rwasa rebels to quickly enter into negotiations with the Transitional Government, with a view to rejoining the Arusha peace process. "They strongly invited Member States of the Regional Initiative to use all their influence and pressure to complete this armed group to engage in peace talks," he added.

The Council members reaffirmed their support for the African Mission deployed in Burundi by the African Union and their appeal to contributors who might be in position to provide the mission with financial or logistic support. They took note of the decisions adopted by the African Union Summit in Maputo, Mozambique, and the central organ of the African Union mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution on 24 July in Addis Ababa.

"They also took note of the letter dated 13 August 2003 addressed to the President of the Security Council by the Permanent Representative of Mozambique, representative of the current Chairman of the African Union," Ambassador Wehbe said, adding that in that connection, the Council had welcomed the recent contribution of €25 million (euros) from the European Union (EU) and invited donors to continue to provide assistance to Burundi.

He said Council members stated their concern at the humanitarian situation and called on all Burundian parties, including the Government, to facilitate the access of humanitarian agencies to populations in need.

"The members of the Council reaffirmed that it was highly important for the Burundian parties to combat impunity and confirmed the readiness of the Council to consider possible procedures for international assistance to that end, upon the request of the government of Burundi," he said.