his signing is good cause for hope. If the government and rebels managed to reach an accord on the neuralgic point of the division of the armed forces, there is a probability that the agreement can unblock the situation”. There were the measured, though cautious words of
Father Luigi Arnoldi, regional superior of the Xaverian missionaries, contacted over the phone on the day of the signing in Pretoria (South Africa) of an accord on Burundi, which some defined landmark.
Yesterday, after ten years of war, Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the FDD (Forces for the Defense of Democracy), main rebel group of the nation, undersigned the ‘Global Political-Military Inter-Burundian Accord’, which foresees the participation of the rebels in the armed forces, the attribution to the FDD of four ministries and 15 parliamentarians.
Fr. Arnoldi however urges caution: “The accord – continues the missionary – was signed by the President. Now we must wait to see how the military commands and Vice-President react”. The Head of State, Ndayizeye, is a Hutu (like 84% of Burundians) who took office April 30 in place of the Tutsi leader, Pierre Buyoya, based on the previous peace accords. The leadership of the armed forces has however always been Tutsi, which now would have to accept the former Hutu rebels among their ranks.
In any case, peace – after ten years of internal conflict and over 300-thousand deaths – cannot wait.
“It is not entirely definite that Wednesday’s signing bring to a turnaround. Many accords have been signed in the past years”, continues Fr. Arnoldi with some skepticism. “We must not however forget – states the Xaverian – that the FDD is the main rebel group of Burundi. This leads to hope for an accord that also includes the other anti-government formations”. In any case, peace – after ten years of internal conflict and over 300-thousand deaths – cannot wait.
“Today more than ever it is urgent to end the clashes. The nation is presided by banditry, thefts everywhere, both in the capital of Bujumbura and the rest of the nation. Now it is time to make amends, or it will be difficult to restore order in the nation”. Despite the fact that the hostilities have never ceased over the past years, the Xaverians and other missionaries present in Burundi never abandoned the population to their own demise. What will be the missionaries’ duty now?
“Helping both sides to accept this accord – concludes Fr. Arnoldi – because we all know that the solution to the Burundian crisis is not war”. Meanwhile, during the night President Ndayizeye referred that the military will continue combating the FNL (National Liberation Forces), the second rebel group of the nation, which so far has not participated in the peace negotiations.
(From MISNA)