Hutu rebel coalition rejects South African involvement

The Union pour la liberation nationale (ULINA) - an umbrella grouping of minor Hutu rebel factions - said, however, it "strongly opposed" Mandela's nomination, and "would never participate in the talks of hypocrites". "South Africa has joined Rwanda and Uganda to assist Dictator Buyoya militarily, as well as ammunition (sic) to conduct killings of innocent Hutus in the concentration camps whereby hundreds of Hutus are being slaughtered daily," a press release from ULINA and the president of the Parti pour la liberation du peuple hutu - Forces nationales de liberation (PALIPEHUTU-FNL), received by IRIN, stated. Some other Hutu representatives, including from the main rebel group CNDD (Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie), who attended the Arusha summit said in private they would have preferred the choice of former Botswana president Ketumile Masire because they do not accept that South Africa is neutral in Burundi or the Great Lakes region, Hirondelle reported.