NGO condemns violations of "fundamental human rights"

A Burundian human rights NGO, Iteka, has condemned continued fighting, the recruitment - sometimes forcible - of fighters by rebel groups, and widespread human rights violations in Burundi, including rape, abductions and pillage. "The most fundamental of human rights continue to be violated in the country," Iteka said in a communique issued on Monday. "Fighting between the army, on one side, and the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie-Forces pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) of Pierre Nkurunziza and the Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) of Agathon Rwasa on the other, has continued despite numerous appeals for a cessation of hostilities," the NGO said. It added that the fighting had "resulted in the deaths of civilians and perpetual displacement of people in many places across the country". Iteka criticised what it termed the "laxity of certain authorities who were releasing criminals before they had been judged". It called for the rehabilitation and reintegration of displaced people and returned refugees with assistance from the Commission Nationale de Rehabilitation des Sinistres and partner agencies. [For the complete communique, available only in French, go to www.ligue-iteka.bi] Meanwhile on Wednesday, South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma was overseeing peace talks between the transitional government of Burundi and Nkurunziza's CNDD-FDD in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The two sides are finalising issues on a Forces Technical Agreement, participation in a Joint Ceasefire Commission and power sharing, according to Zuma's office. The current talks will culminate in a summit of the Great Lakes Regional Initiative on Burundi in two weeks time, the office reported. Although the Dar es Salaam talks do not include Rwasa's FNL, Zuma has invited the FNL to join a separate negotiation process with the Burundian government.