Technical group formed to implement ceasefire deal

Burundian negotiators agreed on 22 November to set up a technical working group to discuss details of the security of the leadership and implementation of a ceasefire between the government and two rebel factions, the office of South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the facilitator to the talks, reported. It said the working group would start deliberations as soon as possible in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, and report during the next meeting likely to take place "some time next week". The leaders of two armed groups fighting the transitional government in Burundi were, Zuma's office said, expected to sign an "act of commitment" that would "pave the way for their integration into the transitional institutions". This was decided during a meeting in Dar es Salaam of the three signatories to the Burundi ceasefire agreement. It was attended by Burundi President Pierre Buyoya and the Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly, Jean Minani; the Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye wing of the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD); and Alain Mugabarabone's Parti de liberation du people hutu-Force nationale de liberation. The largest CNDD-FDD faction, led by Pierre Nkurunziza, has failed to sign a ceasefire deal and has instead continued the war. In a communique, the Burundi Ministry of Communications condemned the rebel shelling of northern suburbs of Bujumbura on Friday, forcing residents to flee.