Leaders hopeful for peace in 2002

Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Pierre Buyoya of Burundi have ushered in the New Year with messages of peace and reconciliation. At the inauguration of a new flag, anthem and emblem in Rwanda on 31 December, Kagame called upon Rwandans to seek what could unite them in the search for patriotism. By contrast with the old Rwandan flag, which was predominantly red and featured a pruning knife, heavily reminiscent of the 1994 genocide, the new flag features horizontal green, yellow and blue stripes with a yellow sun in the right hand corner. The colours represent hope for prosperity, work, peace and happiness, while the sun stands for unity, transparency and the fight against ignorance. By contrast with the old national anthem, and in keeping with the official Rwandan policy of not favouring any particular ethnic group, the new anthem makes no reference to Hutus, Tutsis and Twas, the country's three main ethnic groups. On a similar note, the country's new emblem - an ear of sorghum and a coffee branch, symbolising prosperity, and two shields symbolising patriotism - features the slogan "Unity, Work, Patriotism". In his new year's message, Kabila told his countrymen that 2002 would be a year of peace and reconciliation. Referring to the areas of the country under foreign control, he hailed his people's spirit of resistance, and said the DRC would continue to fight for sovereignty and territorial unity so that "all will be able to circulate freely...and hold the much-loved fundamental values of freedom and unity for the Congo". In a mixed message, Buyoya hoped for peace and economic development in Burundi in 2002. He invited all Burundians to become involved in the process of restoring peace, saying that the process had reached the point of no return with the establishment of a transitional government. Despite using the word "peace" 15 times in his speech, he added that 2002 would also be marked by the fight against "the enemy", and that no territory would be under rebel control even if assisted by negative forces in the subregion. Meanwhile, Burundian presidential adviser Colonel Leonidas Nijimbere told IRIN that the government hoped to hold cease-fire talks by the end of January. Previous attempts to convene the talks had been "bogged down by disagreement" between Gabon and South Africa on the venue and date, a Burundian political analyst, who asked not to be named, told IRIN. Gabonese President Omar Bongo and South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma are directly involved in the cease-fire mediation process. Before Pierre Nkurunziza ousted Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye as leader of the Conseil Nationale pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD), Ndayikengurukiye had sought Gabon's participation. However, the analyst added, Jean Minani's faction of Frodebu (the pro-Hutu group, Front pour la democratie au Burundi), which supports Nkurunziza, did not want Gabon as the venue, because this would lead to Jean Bosco's participation in the talks. "We would like Gabon to quit the mediation process," an aide to Jean Minani told IRIN.