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An advance party of 230 South African troops arrived in Bujumbura, Burundi, on Sunday as part of a 700-member special protection unit for returning Burundi exiles expected to take part in the transitional government and institutions due to begin functioning on 1 Nov., Burundi army spokesman Col. Augustin Nzabampema told IRIN.
"Their mission will be to provide security for members of the transitional assembly who ask for their protection," he said.
Alternatively, the returning exiles, mostly Hutu politicians, can request Burundian military bodyguards.
The South Africans were armed with light automatic weapons. But South Africa's chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Siphiwe Nyanda, said on the eve of their departure that his troops would "defend themselves" if fired on, South Africa's Sunday Times reported. He added that the South Africans had other contingency plans. Some Burundi parties have warned foreign troops to stay out of the country and called for Burundians to resist their deployment.
Burundi peace mediator Nelson Mandela recently asked President Thabo Mbeki to send troops to Burundi to protect some 150 exiles over the next three-year interim-government period, because agreement could not be immediately reached on the recruitment and training of an all-Burundi force.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
