Interview with Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye

During a visit to Belgium, rebel leader Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye of the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces de defense pour la democratie (CNDD-FDD), granted IRIN an interview on 19 July 2001. He spoke about the peace process and the future of Burundi. QUESTION: What is your evaluation of the recent agreement on the transition announced by the peace mediator, Nelson Mandela? REPLY: The Burundian people are not concerned by this as we didn't take part in the Arusha process. Ideologically, we are not against this process, even if we know there have been many problems regarding the principles, the form, the content, the mediation...But how can the people believe in Arusha when the army imposes [President Pierre] Buyoya as president of the transition? The Arusha process has not provided for face to face talks between the belligerents. Having said that, any government that agrees to negotiate with us will be our interlocutor. We are ready to negotiate with anyone. We will meet Major Buyoya within the framework of the Libreville discussions with the co-mediator Omar Bongo [of Gabon]. On 26 July, we will go to Pretoria to meet Mandela. Q: Can Burundians soon hope to see light at the end of the tunnel? R: The fundamental problem of the current crisis is the violation of the [1992] constitution and the [1991] charter of national unity. There are no other documents which can guarantee the security of Burundians. Up to now, we don't see how we are going to return to these universally recognised values. But with the end of the Arusha process, we are now entering another process which will have to bring the belligerents together around the same table. And this process will have to attain the ultimate objective of a return to peace and democracy. On a positive note, this means we will begin talks on the future direction of the country towards democracy. Q: So these talks will be held outside the Arusha framework? R: We want to negotiate on the basis of our peace proposals, thus adopting two approaches. In Libreville, we want to talk of a return to the constitution and the charter, the reform of the defence forces, the struggle against impunity, the transition, a democratic regime, a ceasefire...CNDD-FDD has always supported the idea of a negotiated solution. That's why we went to Rome in 1997 [for talks with the government] where we at least achieved a framework agreement. We don't know why we were excluded from the Arusha process. Q: Meanwhile, you are continuing to fight. Is this the best way of returning peace to your country? R: It is not the philosophy of our struggle to continue the war. We are resisting! We are resisting in order to oblige the army to give back what it has stolen. This lies at the basis of the current crisis. As soon as the army shows signs of goodwill in favour of peace and democracy, we will be ready to negotiate a cessation of hostilities. The best way for it to do this, is to return to barracks. As long as soldiers are in the villages, as long as they are chasing away the people and maintaining concentration camps, things will be difficult. Who is attacking who? How can you control a ceasefire when the army has positioned itself everywhere? If the army returns to barracks, the people with weapons [CNDD-FDD] will not pursue it. Q: In the meantime, Burundian citizens continue to die, victims of rivalries which have nothing to do with them. R: Armed resistance is not a crime, it is even a noble resistance. Of course, crimes against humanity must be punished, as must those people who ignore the laws of war. But the people have a right to resist. Q: Why have you come to Belgium? R: We believe the international community is not doing enough to find a rapid solution. Events in Rwanda and Congo-Zaire would never have happened if the Burundian problem had been resolved on time. So we have come to talk to Belgium, which is the current president of the European Union and which knows our country, as it was the former colonial power.