Ceasefire talks make progress, South Africans say

Ceasefire talks between Burundi's transitional government and the various opposing rebel groups seem to be progressing well, South African officials told IRIN on Tuesday. The talks opened in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, on Monday amidst heightened calls for tangible results from this round of negotiations after many rounds of fruitless discussions between the parties since the signing of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in 2000. "There have been a lot of consultations, and Deputy President Jacob Zuma feels that progress is being made so far," Lakela Kaunda, the South Africans' spokeswoman, told IRIN during a break in the negotiations. She said that this first week of talks would focus on discussions between Pierre Nkurunziza's faction of the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) and the Burundian government, so no other groups were expected to be in Dar es Salaam, yet. However, next week, a rival FDD faction, led by Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye, is expected to engage in direct discussions with the Burundian government, she said. Meetings would then follow these talks between a delegation from the hard-line Force nationale de liberation and the transitional government, during the final week of the peace talks. "During these discussions, the facilitators are having talks with both groups [the government and the rebel factions] independently, and then there are plenary sessions in the afternoons, during which, the draft ceasefire agreement is the basis of discussions," Kaunda said. Despite the 2000 Arusha agreement, no ceasefire between the warring parties has ever been signed, and sources at the current talks say the focus of the discussions on the draft ceasefire agreement is on the real bone of contention - the composition of the army. The disarmament of the rebels and their integration into the army were issues that would dominate the discussions, they added. Analysts, however, are concerned that the recent split within the FNL might undermine any agreement that is signed as it appears that, while Alain Mugabarabona has established a breakaway group, Agathon Rwasa still claims to be in control and is unlikely to attend. "The absence of a fully representative delegation from the FNL would be a major shortcoming in the ceasefire process," Jan van Eck of the Centre for Conflict Resolution in South Africa told IRIN on Tuesday. "Even if a ceasefire with the two FDD movements is signed, the war will continue, if not escalate. We need an inclusive ceasefire that doesn't just deal with one section of the FNL," he added. "I believe the war will intensify," Col Augustin Nzabampema, Burundi’s defence spokesman, said on Saturday on Bonesha FM radio.