Nkurunziza calls for new transition framework

Burundi needs a new "charter of transition" for peace to be restored in the country and to allow it to prepare "suitably" for elections, Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the largest of two factions of the rebel Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Force pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD), told IRIN on Tuesday.

The transition government and the CNDD-FDD should submit their versions of the document to regional facilitators, who would then provide experts to combine the drafts into a framework of how best to prepare Burundi for the remaining 17 months of transition, he said.

"Only once the text is ready can we sit down and call a regional summit," Nkurunziza said.

He was in Dar es Salaam for talks with the Tanzanian facilitators about how to continue the on-going peace process. Regarding the African Union Mission in Burundi (AMIB), Nkurunziza said, in principle, he had "no objection" to the mission, but that it had to be neutral and inclusive.

For example, he said, his organisation was excluded from the decision on where cantonment areas were to be located. "We have to negotiate where the places are going to be. The government and the facilitation can't just expect to make its suggestions and we agree to it," he said.

The African Union sent the mission to Burundi to ensure ceasefire agreements signed between rebels groups and the government was respected. AU troops are also in Burundi to oversee the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of rebels troops.

Nkurunziza said a ceasefire agreement signed 3 December 2002 between his group and the government left room for negotiation regarding the distribution of legislative and executive powers.

"But we feel we have been excluded from the process and the decisions that they [the government and AMIB] are taking and affect us. It is still not yet clear how we will fit into their mission," he said.