DATE=4/27/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=MANDELA / BURUNDI
NUMBER=5-46212
BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS
DATELINE=BUJUMBURA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Former South African President Nelson Mandela
arrives in Burundi Friday as part of a peace mission
to end that country's ethnic violence. V-O-A's Scott
Stearns, in Bujumbura, reports Mr. Mandela wants to
expand talks to include the country's main rebel
group.
TEXT: Since taking charge of the Burundi peace talks
late last year, Mr. Mandela has convinced leaders from
the main rebel group to join the dialogue. Now he is
coming to Burundi's capital to meet with senior
military leaders about their role in the process.
Ethnic Hutu rebels have been fighting Burundi's army
since paratroopers murdered the first democratically-
elected president in 1993. The death of President
Melchior Ndadaye, a Hutu, set off the latest wave of
ethnic violence between Hutu rebels and a government
army dominated by the ethnic-minority Tutsi.
It is Mr. Mandela's first trip to Burundi and, like
everywhere he goes, there is considerable interest in
seeing a living African hero. People here are less
confident he has the answers for a history of ethnic
division. There are nearly 20 Burundian groups
represented in the talks Mr. Mandela chairs.
Committees have struggled months over an agenda.
Including rebels in talks next month is the biggest
move forward since negotiations began two years ago.
Announcing the move earlier this year, Mr. Mandela
told delegates to the peace talks in Arusha, Tanzania,
that nothing they decide will have any validity unless
it has the support of rebels.
/// MANDELA ACT ONE ///
There is no guarantee that if the 18 political
parties negotiating agree on a course of action
that will be honored by the rebel groups. And
therefore, if we want to resolve this issue and
bring about peace and unity in Burundi, those
rebels groups must be included.
/// END ACT ///
In Bujumbura Friday, Mr. Mandela is scheduled to meet
with Burundian President Pierre Buyoya and senior
military officials. The government here has already
been in separate talks with some of the rebels and has
encouraged their inclusion in the Arusha talks.
With most of the military government on-board, Mr.
Mandela's challenge to including the main rebel group
comes from other smaller rebels already at the talks.
They fear the inclusion of another group will weaken
their position.
Mr. Mandela says such obstructionism has led to a
belief among the international community that
Burundi's leaders are not serious about peace.
/// MANDELA ACT TWO ///
There is a view from people who have been very
close to this situation that in Burundi you do
not have a patriotic leadership that thinks
about the nation as a whole. Political leaders
are thinking about their own individual
positions.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Mandela has been unusually harsh as a mediator,
saying delegates have the blood of innocent civilians
on their hands for delaying talks and prolonging the
conflict.
Mr. Mandela's frank talk has ruffled some delegates,
who say he has been poisoned against them by their
opponents.
Even in his most stinging criticism, Mr. Mandela
offers, in effect, to try and save Burundians from
what some call their own irresponsibility.
/// MANDELA ACT THREE ///
Other people may say you are irresponsible. I
will not say so myself -- except that I will
be disturbed and I will urge you to behave in a
way which will minimize the danger of you being
dismissed as irresponsible people.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Mandela's mediation efforts have the backing of
the international community. Organization of African
Unity Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim says
expanding the talks is the only way forward.
/// SALIM ACT ///
We all understand that given the bitterness, the
misunderstanding, and the trauma experienced,
the way forward is not going to be an easy
one. But dialogue and mutual accommodation is
the only way to restore peace, security and
national reconciliation in Burundi.
/// END ACT ///
// OPT // Mr. Mandela began his work as Burundi's
mediator in February, with a satellite video
conference between President Clinton in the United
States and the delegates gathered in Arusha. It was
the former South African president delivering on his
celebrity, by presenting President Clinton live from
the White House. But the speech did little to
convince Burundian delegates that Mr. Mandela's
leadership represents real change. President Clinton
challenged Burundi's leaders to be part of Africa's
future by bridging their ethnic divide.
/// CLINTON ACT ///
The real question for the leaders from Burundi
who have gathered with you in Arusha, is whether
your country will share in the promise of this
future. Will you lead the way to a lasting
settlement for the larger conflicts in the Great
Lakes Region? Will you show the way for other
societies in Europe and Asia who are also
victimized by these kinds of ethnic conflicts?
Or will you hesitate and falter? If that were
to happen, I am afraid a disaster would befall
your people and it would seep beyond your
borders.
/// END ACT /// /// END OPT ///
Burundi's disaster has already swept beyond its
borders. Fighting this week north of the capital
concentrated on rebel strongholds near the village of
Tenga. Tenga is on the edge of the broad Imbo Plain
through which rebels regularly cross into neighboring
Congo and Rwanda.
Both Burundi's government and the rebels are involved
in Congo's civil war. The government backs Congolese
rebels supported by Rwanda and Uganda. Burundian
rebels have sided with local militiamen opposed to the
rebellion and nominally allied with Congolese
President Laurent Kabila. (Signed)
NEB/SKS/JWH/WTW
27-Apr-2000 11:29 AM EDT (27-Apr-2000 1529 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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