ugnet_: Burundi rebel says power share talks fail

[Matekopoko]

Burundi rebel says power share talks fail


DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (Reuters) - A Burundi rebel leader said Monday talks mediated by African leaders aimed at ending a decade of civil war had failed to work out a power sharing solution to a conflict that has killed some 300,000 people.

"We have failed to agree on the issue of power sharing because we wanted the post of the speaker of parliament, and the government rejected our proposal," Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) Hutu rebels, told reporters at a summit of African presidents.

Nkurunziza later told Reuters the FDD also wanted the vice presidency, but Burundi's Tutsi-dominated government had also rejected the demand.

"The transitional government wants to rule the country and parliament on its own. It doesn't want to compromise," he said.

The rebel leader was speaking after meeting the presidents of Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda and Mozambique in the Tanzanian port city of Dar Es Salaam to try to hammer out a power sharing agreement with the government of President Domitien Ndayizeye.

Nkurunziza later resumed talks with the leaders but made no comment on the summit's efforts to hammer out a power-sharing agreement between him and Ndayizeye.

The FDD is one of several Hutu groups fighting to end the Tutsi's minority traditional political dominance of Burundi.

Ndayizeye himself was in the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam for the gathering but did not take part in the talks involving the leaders and Nkurunziza, Tanzanian officials said without elaborating.

The presidents urged both Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza to stay in Dar Es Salaam and continue trying to forge a compromise later Monday or Tuesday, Tanzanian officials said.

Nkurunziza said the FDD had been offered, and had rejected, the posts of second deputy speaker of parliament and minister of state in the president's office.

There was no immediate comment from Burundi government officials on Nkurunziza's comments. The summit follows talks last week between Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza held in Uganda which faltered after the two sides disagreed over power-sharing.

The peace process faces many other challenges, including the refusal by another rebel group, the National Liberation Forces (FNL), to hold talks with Ndayizeye's transitional government.


 
09/15/03 14:57 ET
 

ugnet_: Burundi rebel says power share talks fail

[Matekopoko]

Hear hear! One could have easily predicted this out come! 

Netters, if I were to wage a bet, on the outcome of the so called Burundi peace involving Mbeki, Museveni, Mkapa and the rest of the so called African Leaders.. I would be a rich man by now!!! Oh Dear! One is simply amazed at the lack clear understanding of the Issues in Burundi which has contributed to the nightmarish situation in that country. What can I say... deal with you "Wisemen" or is it pseudo "WISEMEN" like Museveni!! I hear warmonger Museveni is the "Mediator" of the Burundi Peace talks!!

Matek 


Burundi rebel says power share talks fail


DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A Burundi rebel leader said on Monday talks mediated by African leaders aimed at ending a decade of civil war had failed to work out a power-sharing solution to a conflict that has killed some 300,000 people.

"We have failed to agree on the issue of power sharing because we wanted the post of the speaker of parliament, and the government rejected our proposal," Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) Hutu rebels, told reporters at a summit of African presidents.

He added that the FDD also wanted the vice presidency but said the Tutsi-dominated Burundian government of President Domitien Ndayizeye had also rejected that demand.

"The transitional government wants to rule the country and parliament on its own. It doesn't want to compromise," he said after a session of talks with the presidents of Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda and Mozambique in Tanzania's main city of Dar Es Salaam.

Nkurunziza later resumed talks with the leaders and then left the talks for a second time, saying the presidents had asked him to remain in the city in case they needed to talk to him again to try to forge a compromise on power-sharing .

The FDD is one of several Hutu groups fighting to end the traditional political dominance of the Tutsi minority.

Ndayizeye, who was also in Dar Es Salaam, held separate consultations with some of the four presidents but did not take part in the talks involving Nkurunziza, officials said.

Nkurunziza said the FDD had been offered, and had rejected, the posts of second deputy speaker of parliament and minister of state in the president's office.

There was no immediate comment from Burundi government officials on Nkurunziza's comments. The summit follows talks last week between Ndayizeye and Nkurunziza held in Uganda which faltered after the two sides disagreed over power sharing.

The peace process faces many other challenges, including the refusal by another rebel group, the National Liberation Forces (FNL), to hold talks with Ndayizeye's transitional government.


 
09/15/03 17:05 ET

Hear hear! One could have easily predicted this out come! 

Netters, if I were to wage a bet, on the outcome of the so called Burundi peace involving Mbeki, Museveni, Mkapa and the rest of the so called African Leaders.. I would be a rich man by now!!! Oh Dear!

Matek