Uganda and South Africa on Thursday unveiled a new initiative to revive the peace process in Burundi, although it was promptly rejected by rebels.
The four-point plan provides for the rebel movement's political branch to be renamed, its leadership integrated into state institutions and its fighters regrouped.
All targets would be be achieved by the end of the year, added the document presented by Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa and chief mediator Charles Nqakula, who is the South Africa defence minister.
The small central African nation has been struggling to emerge from a civil conflict that has left 300,000 dead since 1993.
A 2006 ceasefire between the government and the rebel National Liberation Forces (FNL) has been fraught with obstacles over how to share political and military power.
The group's political branch is the Palipehutu-FNL (Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People).
"This is a disgrace, they are asking the Palipehutu-FNL to change names and the president (Pierre Nkurunziza) is offering us scraps in terms of political jobs," FNL spokesman Pasteur Habimana told AFP.
"We will not change our name and we want to negotiate what positions we are reserved," he added.
Although the government and the rebels agree on a number of issues, key differences emerged following recent talks including the government's recognition of the rebels' political branch as a political party and allowing its members to enter the government.
The government has refused to accept the FNL as a party with the name "Palipehutu," which means party for the liberation of the Hutu people, arguing the constitution forbids political parties with ethnic affiliations.
Source: AFP
2 comments:
Barundi Barundikazi! What is parlement doing? Parlement has a key to the FNL's issue....Go to a plenary cession and deliberate on the issue: If they reject it, then the people rejects it, if accept it then the people accepts it. CNDD is out of strategies it has the majority in parlement, it acheive its goal intellectually without fighting. Are we animal who only think of fighting as a means to solve problems.........Give me a break people
Aba FNL nibarabe ukuntu bobigenza kuko abarundi bararushe nintambara!!!Nibahinduriremwo akandi kazina, ao sio!!!!
Twese turabazi bazopfe gushirako kagasinye kabo ..(drapeau...hagize amatora tuzobimenya....
Mukomere!
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