UN mission creates new civilian regional offices

The UN peacekeeping mission in Burundi, known as ONUB, opened two new regional offices on Tuesday, bringing to three the number now operational in the country. In a statement, ONUB said some 40 ONUB staff members had been deployed to the new offices, which are in the southern province of Makamba and the northeastern province of Muyinga. The first office, in the central province of Gitiga, was opened in June. "Each regional office will cover several provinces," ONUB said. Civilian staff will work with the ONUB troops and military observers already deployed across the country. ONUB said two more regional offices were due to open before the end of November, in the western province of Bujumbura Rural and the northern province of Ngozi. "With five operational regional offices, ONUB will have almost half of its civil staff working under the mission's mandate at the regional and local levels on the whole of nation's territory," the mission said. The regional offices will establish direct contact with government representatives at regional and local levels, and with civil society, to "support government efforts in coordinating the reform of state institutions", the mission added. Staff in the regional offices will also monitor human rights. UN civilian police will help train new national police, while public information staff will disseminate information on ONUB activities. On Wednesday, UN News reported that ONUB started broadcasting weekly, hour-long radio shows. Half will be aired in French and half in the local language of Kirundi through five radio stations, which cover 90 percent of Burundi. Quoting ONUB spokesperson Isabelle Abric, UN News reported that the broadcasts were designed to bolster the peace process by explaining ONUB's work in areas such as judicial reform, human rights and security. The broadcasts will also provide information on a referendum of the country's constitution, planned for 26 November, and encourage people to register to vote Abric was quoted as saying. Plans were underway to produce the broadcasts daily. ONUB began its operations in June, taking over from an African Union mission. Burundi's three-year transitional period officially ended on 1 November, but it has been followed by a six-month interim period to allow more time to prepare for general elections, due in April 2005. ONUB said the regional offices would help in guaranteeing a secure environment for demobilising and reintegrating former armed groups, reorganising the national security forces and holding the elections.